About Us
The Centre of Excellence for IoT & AI was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2015 as part of the Digital India Initiative. Its goal is to boost India's IoT and AI ecosystem by leveraging the country's IT strengths and helping it become a global leader in both hardware and software. The main objective of the centre is to create innovative applications and domain capability by harnessing the innovative nature of startup community and leveraging the experience of corporate players.
Our Objectives
Develop innovative solutions and expertise across sectors like Smart Cities, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Agriculture to meet the country's needs.
Build industry-ready talent, nurture startups, and foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem for IoT and AI.
Create a thriving innovation ecosystem that encourages entrepreneurship.
Support research and reduce costs by providing open, interoperable, and multi-technology lab facilities.
Reduce reliance on imports for IoT and AI components and promote "Make in India."
Establish India as a leader in end-to-end engineering solutions.
Offer a platform for product development, testing, and validation.
The Centre of Excellence acts as an enabler to drive the various initiative by leveraging the knowledge of industry, academia, government & startups to democratize innovation in the IoT & AI industry.
Words from CEO
Sanjeev Malhotra
CEO, MeitY Nasscom CoE
"At the MeitY Nasscom CoE, we are building a future where deep tech is not just an enabler but a catalyst for India's growth story. By bringing together startups, enterprises, and the public sector, we are transforming challenges into opportunities through innovation, collaboration, and scale."
A Decade of creating tech impact
Launched as a part of the Digital India initiative conceptualized by PM Modi in 2015, the Centres of Excellence have a keen focus on building solutions, catalyzing innovation and working closely with industry leaders in emerging technologies like IoT, AI, AR/VR, Big Data and Precision Analytics.
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2023
2025
Foundation Year
Bengaluru Launch
Launch of the first CoE for IoT at the Nasscom Startups Warehouse. Inaugurated by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad and senior government officials. This marked the beginning of India's IoT innovation ecosystem.
Industry Engagement
Started onboarding industry partners to create a collaborative innovation environment.
Industry 4.0 Focus
Launch of the Co-Create Program, with a sharp focus on Industry 4.0 adoption and collaborative R&D.
Expansion and Thought Leadership
Gurgaon CoE
Expanded presence into North India.
Thought Leadership Forum (LHIF)
Launched to spark national dialogue on emerging tech trends.
AI + IoT CoE (Bengaluru)
Inaugurated on October 5 by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, adding AI capabilities to the existing IoT foundation.
Building AI and Manufacturing Strength
AI Program
Formalized efforts to boost AI adoption through targeted programs.
Gandhinagar CoE
Launched on September 11, focusing on manufacturing and industrial innovation. Attended by national and state leaders.
Manufacturing Innovation Challenge
Expanded to help startups tackle real-world manufacturing problems.
Digital Health Push
Healthcare Innovation Challenge (HIC)
Launched to digitize healthcare delivery and accelerate innovation in the sector.
JanCare Initiative
Nationwide rollout of AI-driven healthtech tools to underserved and remote communities.
Vizag CoE Inauguration
Vizag (Visakhapatnam) CoE: Inaugurated on November 30 by Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Focused on digital transformation in ports and logistics.
Maritime Innovation Momentum
Vizag CoE activities scaled up, focusing on maritime logistics, infrastructure modernization, and port tech.
AI Centre of Excellence in GIFT City
The AI Centre of Excellence in GIFT City was launched to accelerate innovation in artificial intelligence and strengthen India's position in the global AI landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Centre of Excellence for IoT & AI is a Digital India initiative led by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology & nasscom. It is the largest existing innovation platform for enabling IoT revolution through connected devices using emerging technologies such as Sensors, Big Data, Analytics, AI/ML, AR/VR and Robotics.
- We help startups in their Go-To-Market by enabling Enterprise Connects for Pilots, Market Validation, and initial business opportunities.
- Enterprises may also infuse strategic capital into some of the promising startups. For some of our Strategic Partners, please visit http://coe-iot.com/strategic-partners/.
- Our Industry Connects bring the expertise and shared experience of industry veterans, serving as mentors and advisors for startups.
- We support initiatives by Central & State Governments and Departments to drive opportunities for startups with a predominantly B2G focus.
- Startups can work on real-world problems through our Co-Create Program.
- Access to global startup communities through International Trade Delegations.
- Incubated startups receive shared access to a state-of-the-art in-house lab with the latest prototyping, designing, and testing tools and equipment. Learn more at http://coe-iot.com/innovate-iot-lab-india/.
- We provide 24×7 access to centrally located office space and well-maintained digital and physical infrastructure.
- All incubated startups receive top ecosystem deals and credits from carefully vetted Service Partners.
- Our in-house team at MeitY Nasscom CoE works closely with incubated startups to support hiring, team building, business model refinement, startup metrics, and workshop organization.
Interested startups can Apply via https://www.f6s.com/nasscomcoeincubationprogram/apply
- Technology-led Innovation
- Team
- Product-Market Fit
- Impact
Though we are sector agnostic, but preferred sectors/spaces include AgriTech, HealthTech, Industry 4.0, Energy, Water, CleanTech, Auto & Smart Cities
Startups that are leveraging emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, ML, AR/VR, Robotics, cybersecurity or similar deep-tech innovations are eligible. You should ideally be in the prototype / early prototype, MVP, or early revenue stage. Both registered companies and individual innovators planning to register a company are eligible.
You can apply through the official MeitY Nasscom CoE website under the "Apply for Incubation" or "Startups" section. The application typically involves submitting a form with company details, pitch deck, product status, and traction details.
MeitY Nasscom CoE provides:
- State-of-the-art co-working spaces and labs for prototyping.
- Access to testbeds, technical infrastructure, and development kits.
- Mentorship from industry leaders, technical experts, and domain specialists.
- Corporate connect programs and government access.
- Market access and pilot opportunities.
- Investor connect and demo days.
The incubation tenure typically ranges from 12 to 18 months, depending on the stage and progress of the startup.
We are domain agnostic for incubation. Only requirement is that the startups should be deep-tech focused, as given earlier.
MeitY Nasscom CoE typically follows a non-equity model for incubation. However, there are nominal charges for desk space or access to specific lab infrastructure, depending on the center and usage.
You can visit the MeitY Nasscom CoE website (https://www.coe-iot.com) and use the contact form or reach out via their official email. We have centers in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, and Visakhapatnam, each with local contact points.
Yes, international startups looking to enter the Indian market or collaborate with Indian partners are welcome to apply. However, to be formally incubated under the MeitY Nasscom CoE program, the startup must establish an Indian legal entity.
The selection process generally includes:
- Online application screening
- Evaluation by a technical and business expert panel
- Pitch presentation (virtual or in person)
- Final shortlisting based on innovation, feasibility, team, and market potential by the steering committee