About Bajaj Incubation Centre
The proposed ‘Incubation Centre’ under Maharashtra State Innovation Start-up Policy –2018 is aimed to foster the ‘process of recombination of thought elements that is stimulated through conscious work at one point of time, resulting in some novel ideas at some later point of time’. The Centre aims to be a common platform for the students and faculties of the University and its underneath institution, individuals and established entrepreneurs to hone the necessary skills of market research, study of economic demands and accordingly shape the ideas to a marketable product; essentially, to the people of Marathwada (a geographic region encompassing Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur, Parbhani and Nanded districts in Maharashtra) and, by and large, to the academic fabric of Maharashtra.
The economic globalization has been ruling Indian markets from 2000 onwards. Undoubtedly, this has created ample opportunities for our products to reach the global village; yet, in comparison to the quantum of import of technology and business development, our indigenous concepts and products have enjoyed miserably low rate of market acceptance, apart from very few exemplary exceptions. Further, there has been multiple fold growth in the number of cream level employment seekers in foreign MNCs located in India. Consequently, we are losing the diverse talents that are available with the outgoing feedstock of technical institutions and Universities, numbered in tens of thousands, in our country. As a result, the education sectors, on which, the country has highest economic thrust after the defense sector, has very marginal to offer back to the economic development of the country.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, through its on-campus Departments as well as Departments running in sub-centers of the University has always nurtured a holistic and congenial atmosphere for sustained escalation in frontier level research and development in sectors of technical and economic significance. For example, the Department of Physics of the University has established state-of-the art platform for cutting edge research in materials science and device fabrication with quality research outcome and Government of Maharashtra through RUSA has identified its strength and sanctioned a ‘Centre for Advanced Sensor Technology’ which has become National facility for doing cutting edge research in the field of Sensors, the Department of Zoology has set up a unique infrastructure for research in DNA barcoding technology and established a ‘Paul Hebert Centre for DNA Barcoding and Biodiversity Studies’ with state-of-the-art facilities which is being used by researchers across the country, the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology has well established track record in Human-machine interface, Remote Sensing, GIS Applications and Intelligent systems etc, the University Department of Chemical Technology has a long record of quality research in pharmaceuticals and food processing, the Department of Botany has come up with innovative research in tissue culture which is truly encouraging for agricultural applications, National Resource Centre for creating e-resources. Likewise, spectrum of technical and science colleges have come up with quite a lot of ideas/ prototype implementations that bear significant scientific and technological value. However, such ideas have mostly got their recognition in peer reviewed scientific and technical journal of high international repute and/or international/national conference or seminar platforms.
This fact is not put forward in an unfriendly manner or a saga of disappointment; since, such achievements have put the name of this University in a distinct position in the academic fabric of the country and succeed to earn considerable international attention. Yet, as a matter of fact, in spite of having technological and commercial potent of many findings of the University and its adjunct institutes, very few have been successfully transferred to a patentable idea or a commercially viable product. Our long introspection says that death of proper guidance, channelized efforts and a centralized tool in formulation of a well architectured roadmap has been the greatest missing link between the ‘paper’ and ‘product’. A dedicated Incubation facility in the University domain is, therefore, of vital necessity to identify a potential idea, right at the beginning phase and expedite the process of getting it patentable and/or commercially feasible in due course through proper grooming as per the demand of industry and commercial market.
The proposed Incubation Center under Maharashtra State Innovative Start-up Policy –2018 has the core aim to work dedicatedly at this junction. Through its frame of constitution, on one hand, the Center shall establish state-of- the art inter disciplinary and market - faceted research facilities to allow students and faculties work on their ideas in a congenial environment and on the other hand, dedicated incubation and IPR cell will put the efforts in required track towards - successful property right generation, technology transfer, mass production of prototypes through development partners and Incubatee entrepreneurship abilities to small and medium scale industries.
Impartation of regular training towards methodical development of entrepreneurship skill, at various strategic levels and strengths will ever remain as one mainstay of the Centre activities. Dedicated panels will be set up to - identify potential ideas, time to time monitoring and guidance to shape the ideas to be commercially viable, provide seed investment and assist towards perennial funding.