Twelve startups across domains such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality (VR) showcased their products on 'Start-up Conclave and Demo Day' hosted by semiconductor maker Intel India as part of the second edition of its Plugin programme.
Plugin, announced last year, is an incubation programme supported by Intel, IIT Bombay's Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), and the Department of Science and Technology. It aims to address the challenges faced by hardware startups in product development and commercialisation.
During the programme, these startups leveraged the incubation facilities and mentoring resources at Intel India Maker Lab in Bangalore and SINE, IIT Bombay to develop transportation, smart home, industrial automation, healthcare, and entertainment products, using technologies like AI, robotics, IoT, and VR.
Of the 12 startups, four have market-ready products, five have completed product development, and three have proof-of-concepts ready.
Here are the 12 startups.
Startups with market-ready products
Afresh Technology Solutions: The company, founded and headed by IIT Bombay alumnus Diptesh Mukherjee, uses direct-to-wall printing technology to print colourful motifs with remarkable resolution. Its device can be used in conjunction with a graphic simulator to achieve customised wall murals, or to take inputs of ad hoc designs provided by customers. The device is designed to be assembled or disassembled quickly.
Bharati Robotics: Helmed by Debashis Das, another IIT Bombay engineer, the company has produced a fully autonomous industrial floor cleaning robot. The robot can move around the facility on its own, and send reports to the user at the touch of a button.
Linkeddots Engineering Solutions: Led by former Wipro and Cyient executive Devaraj Srinivasan, the company offers smart tags, smart readers and smart tracking systems that can be customised for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Redcherry Engineering: Co-founded by Kuldip Kamat and Shiva Gopalakrishnan, the company offers smart IoT solutions that allow objects to be sensed or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure. This creates opportunities for direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems.
Startups that have completed product development
Ayata Intelligence: Headed by University of Essex alumnus Shreyas Upasane, the company has created an AI-based assistive device. Called ViShruti, the device uses machine learning and IoT to give a holistic understanding of the environment and, subsequently, processes it into audio/tactile cues to aid the differently-abled.
Aperion Mobility: Led by former Tata Elxsi employee Giridhar Raju, the company has come up with a mobility solution for business cargo. The product, a purpose-built cargo bike meant for carrying the rider and cargo in various swappable configurations, can be used for food delivery, last-mile e-commerce delivery, app-based laundries and home services, to name a few.
Bleetech Innovations: Founder Janhavi Joshi has come up with a smartwatch for the hearing impaired. Called Blee, the watch can listen to the environment and notify the user of all the sound alerts with vibrations, colours and icons. It can speak out words or sentences.
Fraggingmonk Technologies: Founded by National Law School of India University, Bangalore alumnus Vaibhav Shetty, the company has developed a VR vest. A light-weight wearable VR system, it leverages Intel-integrated graphics for custom untethered AR and VR solutions.
Revsmart Technologies: Founded by Sunder Jagannathan, an employee of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, the company has developed a ride assistant system for two-wheelers. The device offers a smart and connected experience to two-wheeler riders.
Startups with prototypes
Epocare: Founder Deepak Kumar has developed a smart, handheld portable device for real-time wound analysis. It eliminates the need for existing invasive techniques and helps monitor microvascular blood flow, oxygen saturation and melanin absorption.
Udiyate Technologies: Founded by Chinmayananda Padhya in 2016, the company has developed an IoT-based tea vending machine that makes personalised authentic tea at the click of the button.
Magveh Energy Recovery Systems: Founded by Rahul Kumar in 2016, Magveh Energy is focussed on the development of suspension energy recovery systems for commercial vehicles. It harnesses the energy produced from the motion of the vehicle, and uses it to power them.
