C-DOT Selects 5 Startups for Grant Under Samarth Incubation Program

Launched in March 2025, the Samarth Incubation Program aims to nurture technology startups working in advanced telecom and digital technologies.

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an autonomous telecom R&D institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), successfully hosted the Demo Day for Cohort-II of its ‘Samarth’ Incubation Program on 12 March 2026 at the NBCC Convention Hall in New Delhi.

The event showcased innovative solutions developed by emerging startups in the telecom and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors, with five startups selected for the Stage-II grant based on product potential and execution capability.

Samarth Incubation Program for Telecom Innovation

Launched in March 2025, the Samarth Incubation Program aims to nurture technology startups working in advanced telecom and digital technologies.

The program is structured in two cohorts of six months each, supporting up to 18 startups per cohort, with a total of 36 startups expected to benefit from the initiative.

Participating startups work on key problem statements across cutting-edge technology areas including:

• Telecom applications

• Cybersecurity

• 5G and 6G technologies

• Artificial Intelligence

• Internet of Things (IoT)

• Quantum technologies

C-DOT has partnered with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) as implementation partners for the program.

Financial Support and Mentorship

Under the incubation program, each selected startup receives ₹5 lakh in financial grants along with access to a comprehensive support ecosystem.

Startups are provided with:

• Fully furnished office space

• Access to advanced C-DOT laboratory facilities in Delhi and Bengaluru

• Technical mentorship from C-DOT scientists

• Acceleration sessions by industry experts

The program also includes intensive workshops on:

• Product development lifecycle

• Building minimum viable products (MVPs)

• Financial management and fundraising

• Go-to-market strategies

• Legal and intellectual property aspects

• Startup pitching and investor engagement

Strong Results from Cohort-I

The first cohort of 18 startups, which presented their innovations during the Demo Day in September 2025, demonstrated strong performance.

Based on their progress, five startups from Cohort-I—Turtleneck Systems & Solutions, Purvanchal Engineering Systems, Vital Carbon, Agriverse Innovations, and Jumps Automation—were selected earlier for the Stage-II grant.

Cohort-II Focus on Emerging Technologies

The second cohort, launched in July 2025, focused on niche technology areas including:

• Artificial Intelligence

• Li-Fi communication technologies

• Security technologies

• Drone-based solutions

Applications were screened by a selection committee comprising experts from academia, industry, C-DOT, and STPI.

The selected startups were awarded the Stage-I grant during the kickoff event held on 8 October 2025 at the ASPIRE Startup Stage during India Mobile Congress 2025.

Top Five Startups Selected for Stage-II Grant

During the Demo Day, all startups under Cohort-II showcased their technological innovations before industry experts and investors.

Based on performance and market potential, the following five startups were selected for the Stage-II grant:

• Huebits Tech Private Limited

• Khageshvara Aviation Technology Private Limited

• Xpectro Solutions (OPC) Private Limited

• Zepto Logic Technologies Private Limited

• Vocbot.Ai Technology Private Limited

These startups were formally awarded the second tranche of financial support, enabling them to further develop and commercialize their technologies.

They will also become eligible for potential partnerships and additional funding under the C-DOT Collaborative Research Program (CCRP).

Driving India’s Digital Innovation Ecosystem

Speaking at the event, Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, praised the startups for their innovative spirit and technological breakthroughs.

He noted that the creativity and determination of Indian startups are playing a critical role in driving the country’s digital transformation and technological self-reliance.

The Demo Day was attended by several distinguished leaders including:

• Shri Pradeep Gupta, Chairman, Cyber Media Group

• Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI

• Ms. Geetika Dayal, Director General, TiE Delhi-NCR

• Ms. Shikha Shrivastava, Executive Vice President, C-DOT

Senior C-DOT scientists, technical mentors, industry representatives, and startup founders also participated in the event.

Officials said initiatives like Samarth are helping build a strong innovation ecosystem in telecom and emerging technologies, supporting India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.