Bhubaneswar: Tata Steel has signed an MoU with IIT-Bhubaneswar Research & Entrepreneurship Park (IIT BBSR REP) and India Accelerator (IA) to jointly launch a 6-month long TomorrowLAB Accelerator Programme for emerging startups.
This programme will go live in September 2025, and aims to empower startups, offering a tailored environment that nurtures their growth, facilitates industry connections, and accelerates their journeys.
TomorrowLAB Accelerator Programme is planned as one of the initiatives under the MoU signed between Tata Steel and IIT BBSR REP in February 2024 to foster innovation. The programme aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry, creating a dynamic environment for startups to thrive while providing valuable resources and mentorship to turn entrepreneurial ideas into viable and sustainable businesses. Startups looking to apply for this programme should ideally possess a minimum viable product (MVP) and demonstrate early market traction, a company release said.
“Tata Steel has been working with industry and academia partners for the last several years to accelerate our sustainability agenda. We see huge potential within the startup ecosystem in India where young innovators are working to build solutions for some of the most difficult business challenges. Odisha is playing a significant role in boosting the startup ecosystem with initiatives such as ‘100 Cube’. TomorrowLAB Accelerator Programme is yet another step in the same direction and holds great potential to become the innovation hub of Eastern India.” Vice President – Technology, R&D, NMB and Graphene, Tata Steel, Subodh Pandey said:
The programme would entail engagement with startups across India. IIT-Bhubaneswar will be the hub of all the activities, supported by India Accelerator.
The key objectives of the programme are:
- Facilitating mentorship, capacity-building workshops, and technical assistance for startups.
- Providing access to funding, business advisory services, and commercialisation opportunities.
- Leveraging IA’s and IIT BBSR REP’s network for strategic partnerships, business development, and market access for startups.
- Strengthening Tata Steel’s engagement with the dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem in Odisha and beyond.
The programme will also serve as a structured engagement for Tata Steel with startups working in areas relevant to its growth journey such as water, waste heat recovery, and robotics & automation. The company will engage select startups from the cohort with relevant solutions for doing a pilot after the programme ends.
