The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) launched Samarth Cohort-II, its incubation programme for telecom and ICT startups. Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, said startups’ creativity, passion, and determination drive India’s digital transformation.
Samarth supports innovators working on telecom applications, cybersecurity, 5G/6G, AI, IoT, and quantum technologies. Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and TiE act as programme implementation partners. The programme runs in two cohorts of six months each, accommodating up to 36 startups.
Cohort-I selected 18 startups, providing initial grants to develop solutions for five innovative problem statements given by C-DOT. During the demo day in September 2025, top five startups received the next round of funding based on performance.
Dr. Upadhyay said C-DOT aims to establish Academic Centres of Excellence in top institutions to embed innovation in education. The programme aligns with Prime Minister Modi’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision and promotes co-creation of indigenous telecom solutions with startups and industry.
