By 121 News
Chandigarh, Feb 20, 2026:-The Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, organised the TDB Atmanirbhar Yatra –Punjab Chapter in partnership with the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) North Region at Chandigarh, bringing together policymakers, industry representatives, startups, incubators, and academic institutions on a common platform.
The programme served as a structured outreach initiative of TDB to strengthen awareness about its funding mechanisms, facilitate dialogue with potential beneficiaries, and encourage industry–startup–academia collaboration in Punjab. Discussions also explored avenues for closer institutional cooperation between TDB and PSCST, which may be formalised in subsequent engagements.
Addressing the gathering, Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB, emphasised that the Board functions as a catalytic institution for converting indigenous innovations into commercially viable products through strategic financial support and rigorous
techno-commercial appraisal. He highlighted that TDB's mandate extends beyond funding to de-risking technology development, strengthening industry confidence, and accelerating market access for Indian enterprises.
Priyank Bharti, IAS, Secretary, Science, Technology & Environment, Government of Punjab, underlined the State's commitment to fostering an innovation-driven growth model. He noted that collaboration between central institutions like TDB and state-level agencies can significantly enhance technology absorption, industrial competitiveness, and startup scaling in Punjab.
The event featured focused sessions on:
• TDB's funding mechanisms for industry and startups, including detailed presentation of financial instruments, eligibility frameworks, appraisal processes, and real-life success stories of TDB-supported beneficiaries.
• Industry–academia leaders' dialogue, deliberating on policy imperatives, challenges in technology commercialisation, and practical blueprints to strengthen synergy between research institutions and manufacturing enterprises.
• Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and pathways to unlock technology maturity, outlining structured progression from proof-of-concept to pilot validation, scale-up, and commercial deployment.
• Startup journeys from idea to impact, where emerging enterprises shared experiences on scaling strategies, market access, regulatory navigation, and leveraging public funding support.
The interactive Open House Discussion enabled participants to raise queries on funding norms, collateral structures, grant components, and partnership models, providing valuable feedback for strengthening outreach and engagement.
The Atmanirbhar Yatra – Punjab Chapter reaffirmed TDB's continued commitment to expanding its footprint across states, supporting indigenous technologies, and advancing the Government of India's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat through structured, market-linked innovation support.
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