MoT Boosts Technical Textiles Startup Ecosystem With GREAT Initiative
In a significant stride towards promoting innovation in technical textiles, the Ministry of Textiles (MoT) has given the green light to the Startup Guidelines for Technical Textiles – Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT). Rajeev Saxena, Joint Secretary Textiles, announced this groundbreaking development during a press conference held on 29th August as part of the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).
Under the GREAT initiative, startups and innovators can now receive grant-in-aid up to INR 50 Lakhs for a maximum duration of 18 months. The guidelines are carefully crafted to nurture the startup ecosystem in the realm of Technical Textiles. The primary focus is on aiding individuals and companies in the journey from prototypes to fully realized technologies and market-ready products.
With a resolute emphasis on application, the GREAT Guidelines encompass a wide array of Technical Textiles sectors, including Agro-textiles, Building-textiles, Geo-textiles, Home-textiles, Medical-textiles, Mobile-textiles, Packaging-textiles, Protective-textiles, Sports-textiles, and more. The initiative also propels the development of High-performance fibers, Sustainable and Recyclable Textile materials, and Smart Textiles infused with the latest technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, 3D/4D Printing, and Rapid Prototyping.
To motivate incubators, the Ministry has introduced an additional 10% of total grant-in-aid. A minimum investment of 10% from the incubatee in two equal installments has been mandated, reinforcing dedication and accountability towards project success.
This landmark Startup Guidelines initiative is expected to catalyze the growth of India’s technical textiles startup ecosystem, especially in emerging sub-segments like Bio-degradable and Sustainable textiles, High-performance & Specialty fibers, and Smart textiles.
The Ministry has also given its endorsement to 26 institutes, greenlighting upgrades to laboratory infrastructure and trainer training in technical textiles applications. Additionally, 26 institutions have been granted approval to introduce technical textile courses and papers, along with the introduction of a new degree program in technical textiles.
The total allocation of INR 151.02 Crores is distributed between 15 applications worth INR 105.55 Crores from Public Institutes and 11 applications worth INR 45.47 Crores from Private Institutes. Esteemed institutions like IIT Delhi, NIT Jalandhar, NIT Durgapur, NIT Karnataka, NIFT Mumbai, ICT Mumbai, Anna University, PSG College of Technology, and Amity University are among the beneficiaries.
Notably, the majority of the funding is earmarked for upgrading existing courses across various departments. This includes Textile Technology & Fiber Sciences, Design/Civil Engineering, Fashion Technology/Design, and Mechanical Engineering. Moreover, a new degree program focused on all aspects of Technical Textiles will be introduced.
Furthermore, the Ministry is set to reopen the Guidelines for Enabling Academic Institutes in Technical Textiles’ Education in India (Round II) under NTTM. These revised guidelines will have more inclusive parameters, extending eligibility to institutes with higher NBA scores, NAAC ratings, or those within the top 200 NIRF rankings. The aim is to integrate new courses/papers into the curriculum by the academic year 2025-26.
