Innovators, entrepreneurs get a boost at IIGP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation Growth Programme (IIGP), intended to enhance the growth and development of India’s entrepreneurial economy, crossed another milestone when winners of the programme for the year 2011 signed agreements with foreign and national companies at the Trivandrum Technology Expo held here on Thursday.  Around 50 entrepreneurs,  handpicked by an expert team, signed agreements with top business firms like Skanda Aerospace, Bharat Forge etc. Most of the inventions were in the fields of energy conservation, fibre optics, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and health care. Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty, who delivered a talk, said that the lack of innovative ideas was hampering the country’s development. But things have begun to change as more and more youngsters were now showing an interest in starting their own enterprises based on innovative ideas. He also said that the government would go to any extent to provide help for initiatives like the Technology Expo. Dr Jennifer Byrne, vice-president, Corporate Engineering & Technology, Lockheed Martin Corporation, said that the government, academicians and the technical community should share the responsibility of fostering innovations from the part of youngsters. Secretary of Technology Development Board  H K Mittal, Dr Juan Miguel Sanchez Mangold from Texas University, Dr Rajiv Sharma from Indo-US Science and Technology Forum and Nirankar Saxena of FICCI also spoke on the occasion.  The India Innovation Growth Programme was launched in 2007 by Lockheed Martin in association with the Department of Science and Technology, FICCI, Indo-US Science and Technology Forum and IC2 Institute at the University of Texas. The primary objective of the move was to commercialise innovative ideas for promising Indian entrepreneurs and to assist them in finding markets in the US and other foreign countries. The programme also aimed to provide an opportunity for the young entrepreneurs to showcase their inventions before potential customers, multinational companies and investors.It has gone well with the academicians and researchers as the innovative minds would be offered a global platform with the support of the sponsoring firm.