DPIIT and Voltas sign MoU to boost startup innovation in cooling and smart-appliance technologies

Key facts

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed an MoU with Voltas Limited to strengthen industry-startup collaboration in cooling and smart-appliance technologies.
• The collaboration will engage startups working on HVAC technologies, advanced control systems and power electronics, AI/ML-based diagnostics, IoT-enabled smart appliances, and digitalisation in manufacturing and service operations.
• Startup India and Voltas will explore organising innovation challenges and hackathons through platforms such as the Bharat Start-up Grand Challenge focused on industry-driven problem statements.
• Selected startups may receive mentorship, technical guidance, access to testing infrastructure, market linkage opportunities, industry validation, product development support, and participate in structured Proof-of-Concept programmes with Voltas engineering teams.
• Startups can conduct field trials through Voltas’s service network to test, improve and potentially achieve commercial integration of new technologies.
• Key innovation areas include energy-efficient cooling systems, air-quality monitoring and filtration technologies, advanced inverter control systems, predictive maintenance solutions, refrigerant safety technologies, and digital tools for installation and servicing.
• The MoU was signed by Dr. Sumeet Kumar Jarangal, Director, DPIIT, and Mr. Mukundan Menon, Managing Director of Voltas Limited, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.