StartupTN launches Industry 4.0 & Advanced Manufacturing Forum

Chennai, February 26, 2024: StartupTN, the State Nodal Agency for Startup and Innovation, functioning under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu, launched the Industry 4.0 & Advanced Manufacturing Forum on Monday as part of its sectoral initiatives.

The forum was launched by Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan, Mission Director & CEO of StartupTN, government officials, entrepreneurs and other key stakeholders from the sectors at CMRL Building Auditorium in Nandanam.

Launching the forum Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan said that StartupTN plans to establish forums for all 30 sectors it has identified as crucial. These forums will be led by stakeholders themselves, with support from StartupTN. Each sector will have a designated representative from StartupTN to facilitate discussions. 

He emphasised the state government's commitment to raising awareness about Industry 4.0 among SMEs in the southern states. He noted that compared to SMEs in Chennai or Western Tamil Nadu, those in the southern regions have relatively less exposure to this technological advancement.

He also said that corporate leaders express a strong interest in collaborating closely with Startups to foster innovation. This presents a significant opportunity for Startups to engage directly with large industries and participate in co-innovation activities. 

To facilitate this collaboration, StartupTN has introduced an Open Innovation portal, connecting corporates/industries with Startups and innovators to provide solutions to their problem statements. The goal is to have 100 companies posting their problem statements on the portal by the end of 2024, he added.

Vish Sahasranamam, Co-Founder and CEO of Forge Innovation & Ventures, highlighted the transformative impact that collaboration between industries and Startups can have on the economy. He emphasised that while industries contribute manufacturing expertise, Startups bring forth new technologies and products tailored for niche markets.

Drawing parallels with the development of Silicon Valley in the US, Sahasranamam pointed out that this growth was fueled by partnerships between industries and institutions, which facilitated the exchange of innovative ideas. In India, Tamil Nadu possesses similar potential to replicate this success story by fostering such collaborations.

Gaurav Daga, Associate Vice President at Guidance Tamil Nadu, highlighted the state government's efforts to enhance access to finance, technology utilisation, and skill development through initiatives such as the Naan Mudhalvan scheme. Additionally, the government is fostering partnerships and networking opportunities by facilitating collaboration between industries and Startups.

On this occasion, StartupTN also signed two MoUs. Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan exchanged an MoU with Mr. S. Hari, CEO of Bootstrappers Research Council, for Virtual Incubation and IPR Support, and another with Mr. Vish Sahasranamam, Co-Founder & CEO of Forge Innovation & Ventures, for Industrial Innovation & Growth Partnership.

A Panel Discussion titled ‘Open Industrial Innovation through Startups: Redefining Manufacturing & Value-Chains’ was held as part of the forum launch. The discussion, moderated by Vish Sahasranamam, saw the participation of Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan, Dhinesh Kanakaraj, Founder & CEO of Fabheads Automation, Sekar Udayamurthy, Founder & CEO of Jidoka Technologies, and Moorthi Kanagaraj, Founder & Director of Enthu Technologies.