MINUTES OF THE EIGHTEENTH MEETING OF GOA STATE INNOVATION COUNCIL HELD ON 15-07-2020 AT 9.30 AM THROUGH ZOOM PLATFORM

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF GOA STATE INNOVATION COUNCIL HELD  ON 15.07.2020 AT 9.30 A.M. THROUGH ZOOM PLATFORM

The following members were present at the meeting:

1	SHRI. JOSE MANUEL NORONHA Chairman, Goa Public Service Commission, Panaji, Goa	Chairman
2	DR. VIVEK KAMAT Director, Directorate Of Technical Education, Porvorim, Goa	Member
3	DR. NEENA PANANDIKAR Principal, Don Bosco College of Engineering, Fatorda, Goa	Member
4	DR. MRIDULA GOEL Associate Professor, BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa	Member
5	PROF. RAGHUVEER VERNEKAR Nominee, Goa Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Panaji, Goa	Member
6	DR. KAUSTUBH PRIOLKAR Professor, Goa University, Goa	Member
7	SHRI. D. S. PRASHANT CEO, Forum for Innovation, Incubation, Research, and Entrepreneurship, Fatorda, Goa	Member
8	SHRI. LEVINSON MARTINS Director, Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of Goa	Member Secretary

 

Shri Pradeep Morajkar, Dr. Krupashankara MS & Shri Kunal Upadhyay could not attend the Zoom meeting and were granted a leave of absence. Thereafter, the Chairman welcomed the members of the Goa State Innovation Council for the meeting.

1. At the outset, the minutes of the meeting held on 08^th July 2020 were read and confirmed.

 

2. The inputs from the subcommittee which were advised to consolidate the deliberation & prepare a draft document of the suggestions received on 13^th July 2020 were discussed and Chairman directed to forward the documents to the Director, Department of Science & Technology, Govt of Goa. Refer to enclosed Annexure I & II.

 

3. During the discussion, Chairman suggested releasing the Annual Report 2019-20 virtually in presence of the Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology, Govt of Goa.

 

4. The meeting ended with the vote of thanks.

 

 

Annexure I

1. What are current barriers that hinder science technology and innovation (STI) entrepreneurship in Goa/india? Please be specific about barriers related to the different stages (initial, implementation, growth stage) of STI based entrepreneurship.

 

1. Initial stage (idea, inventions, IP protection early stage start-ups, awareness creation & capacity building)

• Implementation of start-up policy needs to be time bound and Ease of doing Business should be given priority.
• Nurture the available local knowledge, modernize it, and where ever necessary scale it up by using latest technology and use scientific interventions to improve the quality and quantity of local produce – be it agriculture, horticulture or pisciculture.
• A separate policy for the Software sector and Hardware Sector
• IPR policy for all University & Institutions.

 

1. Implementation stage (team building, seed funding, mentorship and sustenance)

 

• Financial support for students projects to be converted into a startup for commercialisation.
• One of the implementation barriers is the lack of an ecosystem to boost product development
• Limited access to adequate infrastructure and test labs and limited availability of testing laboratories and research facilities is  a barrier for innovation.  Facilities for testing prototypes/proof of concept should be created.
• R&D and initial prototyping facilities and testing environment for a non-IT start-up.

 

1. Growth stage (venture capital & bank funding, scaling up & growth, market access, exports)

• Timely access to valuable data and ease in availing key market information.
• Mentorship support to take up scalable ideas and commercialise it.
• Final year student projects should be encouraged and supported, as the projects are ready with prototype and can also converted into potential startups due to the innovativeness & patentability of the projects.
• Portal for pilot testing of projects with Private Public Partnership between Institutes & Industry for
  • Testing Facilities
  • Government can support High Risk Ventures by forming a High Risk Venture Fund

 

2. How can the Government of Goa address these barriers to promote a vibrant STI based entrepreneurship ecosystem? Please provide 2-3 suggestions of programs or policy changes needed to advance STI entrepreneurship in India.

To engage goan youth who have returned to their homes due to Covid-19 pandemic as well as the younger generation passing out of our technical institutions, the state should encourage them to take up Innovative entrepreneurial activities.

 

A team of experts from diverse domains should be set up to mentor them to nurture their ideas. We could use the services of Patent Cell of Goa State Science and Technology Council to protect the IP generated from such activities.

 

The state should also provide the youths/goans with opportunities to enhance their skills under “Skill India”. Education and tranining centres should be set up to provide the necessary skills. Available infrastructure of ITI’s, polytechniques could also be used.

 

State should also make available financial support on relatively easy terms. The state could frame its entrepreneurship policy to give significant boost to the above activities. Such a policy will also help the national programme of “Atamnirbhar Bharat”.

 

Formation of Chair at University level exposure for building strong Science, technology & Innovation capacities.

Dimensions of Innovation methodology similar to research mythology to be incorporated as credit course in academic curriculum.

Simplified and speedy start registration process for availing benefits offered by the government.

 

Goa could focus on following areas:

• Cutting edge technology areas like Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing,Machine Learning, Big Data, etc.
• State specific areas like Tourism, Ship Building, etc.
• Agriculture including crops, vegetables, fish and live-stock. This will help the state to be self-sufficient in its food requirement. The required training in using modern technologies could be provided to the youths/goans venturing in this area.

 

 

3. Recent STI challenges brought about by the COVID19 pandemic (therapeutics, vaccines, healthcare delivery among others) required the STI entrepreneurship community to respond and adapt in a rapid manner. While we hope such crises are not a frequent occurrence, we welcome your suggestions towards a mechanism for the Government of India in supporting and mobilizing the STI community towards a rapid response to future challenges.

In times of a crisis the quickness of response is the key valuable factor. Any ideas/solutions to tackle any crisis depend on how quickly the solution is available in the field, to the user.

 

Establishing well defined structures which are capable of handholding an idea from the innovator to the user must be put in place. For a vast country like India, to start with it could look at setting up of such structures in each district of the country. These centers can be envisaged on a large scale, across several areas. Eg. CII Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Startups at Hyderabad. ( Focus on AI an ML in manufacturing)

 

Unique self contained facilities that are able to provide technical infrastructure, mentoring, validation, testing and trials, funds and regulatory support . This could be developed as a collaboration between industry & government , a kind of PPP model. besides permanent staff it can have empanelled people from academia and industry, Indians and foreign experts .

 

Developing integrated information systems across all government departments to have unique policies and policy clarity.

 

Skills directory territory wise should be prepared and regularly up dated. Mapping of institutions for skill development should be done both at the national and state levels.

Mapping ongoing research works in different organizations across the country.

 

4. How can the Government of India (GoI) and state governments work together to promote a vibrant STI entrepreneurship ecosystem in your state? Entrepreneurs depend on state governments for various resources such as land, local clearances, access to finance, manpower regulations, and a strong vision for the local economy.

Understand the needs of hi-tech entrepreneurs and the issues they face in setting up and managing their ventures and also the measures they adopt to manage growth. Institutional approach to understand these key areas will provide time-to-time policy formulation inputs to the Government.

GOI and State government should encourage Incubation centres/Industry bodies/academia & ecosystem partners to identify local problems as mentioned above, float problem statements and find innovative solutions which could be supported by the government.

Focus on priority areas of both the Central and state government to support innovations. For eg  national priorities like Maintenance Repair & Overhaul of Commercial Aircrafts, Radiation process in food products to enhance shelf life, IOT based system, Supply Chain Management etc. could be integrated with local challenges that need STI solutions such as Water management, Waste management, Storage and supply of fish in rainy season, Land management & revival of ecosystem disrupted by Mining, Modernisation in Farming practices, Innovative solutions for better quality of roads amidst heavy rainfall etc.

Encouraging collaboration between states to have a cluster approach towards innovation should be encouraged by the Government of India. Eg. Domain based innovation in a particular region- Organic food from North East.

 

5. How can the Government of India (GoI), state governments and universities work together to mobilize more resources towards STI entrepreneurship in universities? If you work closely with the academic community or universities, please provide 2-3 suggestions of programs or policy changes needed to advance STI entrepreneurship.

Commencing diploma / degree courses/ PhD programs in STI entrepreneurship  which would focus on product development which will solve real life problems

GOI/ State Government can provide funds to set up R&D labs for STI entrepreneurship

Funds can be granted by MHRD to run already established IIC (Institute Innovation Council) in the Institutions.

Setting up of Team of expertise (pool of resources from premier Institutions/ ISRO/DRDO) in diverse domains of STI at state /National level, who will mentor budding entrepreneurs to nurture their ideas.

Academicians can assist entrepreneurs, startups by offering design, testing and pilot scale fabrication facilities at low cost, share knowledge - an engineering student can go to MBA professor and seek specific knowledge on marketing and business plan or finance.

Campus facilities can be utilized for startup for 3-5 years - minimum rental charges. Office / Workshop Rent is a major expenditure for most startups. Academics can also help in IPR related matters.

Formation of Technology Transfer Office as an extension of the initiative of Goa State Innovation Council to commercialise the inventive steps during the academic research work.

 

6. Any Other Suggestions:

Research: Research needs to be focussed and relevant to the state priorities and needs. There is need to identify and prioritize areas of research from social/ public perspective.

Education: Education with the current turmoil due to pandemic, warrants special attention.  Innovation promoting better curriculum transaction, with lean resources, in view of lack of efficient network and inadequate skill-set of students as well as teachers needs to be explored. Academia will be crying for the proper assessment tools. Methods of amplifying the impact and efficacy of online teaching – especially the necessary scope for students-teacher interaction need to be explored.

Innovation: The emerging trajectory of Education is no longer Information – but transformation, of the learner and society. Creativity & Innovation are the paths to same and need to be vigorously persisted. Recognition of Innovations not only in STEM but all domains needs to be promoted with a definite road-map.

Financing STI: Entrepreneurship: Once again – entrepreneurship needs to be encouraged in a way that leads to economic use of resources and improving the processes and products. It would help the cause if the possible indicators are available for the young entrepreneurs/ start up enthusiasts. Could promote ideation exercises and databases/ pointers towards the same.

Disruptive Futuristic Technologies:  This is sine-quo-non of innovation. However the peep and the preparation are vital for readiness, adaptability and exploitation of emerging innovations – to avoid the despair as reaction

Energy, Environment & Climate Change: Sustainable use of natural resources needs focus and innovations have to be encouraged in these sectors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annexure II:

STIP 2020

Track III - Ministerial and State Consultations 

States/UT

 

 

Name of the State/UT : Goa

Nodal Officer: Shri Levinson Martins

Designation, Email and Contact number: Director, Dept of Science & Technology, Govt of Goa | dir-ste.goa@nic.in, sanjucat@yahoo.com, projectofficer@gsic.in | 9886270270

 

Existing policies

 

Policy TitleÂ	Date of publish	Target STI Component	Target Stakeholders (Regulators/Academia/Industry/ Others - Please Specify)	Impact/Outcomes
				Policy governed programs/schemes	Budget
					Allocated	Expenditure
Scheme for researchers in field of science and technology and for projects of students as part of academic curriculum. (Scheme draft Attached)	27/03/2017	Research projects in the field of science & technology	Researchers / students / group of students of goa state	Department of Science, Technology & Waste Management, Government of Goa
Scheme for providing grant-in-aid to conduct science seminars, workshops, awareness programmes, exhibitions and providing financial assistance to teaching faculties, researchers and subject specialty experts to participate in science seminars & workshops in India and abroad in the field of science & technology. (Scheme draft Attached)	26/05/2017	Financial assistance to teaching faculties, researchers and subject specialty experts to participate in science seminars & workshops in India and abroad in the field of science & technology.	Teaching faculties, researchers and subject specialty experts	Department of Science, Technology & Waste Management, Government of Goa
Information Technology Policy (Scheme draft Attached)			Startups from the state of Goa	Department of Information Technology, Government of Goa
Scheme for patent filing under virtual innovation register (VIR) (Scheme draft Attached)	1/4/2019	Provisional Patent Scheme of Goa State Innovation Council	An individual or a registered entity (Partnership/ Limited Liability Partnership/ Private Limited Company)	Goa State Innovation Council, Department of Science, Technology & Waste Management, Government of Goa	1 lakh	0.40 lakh

 

1. Recommendation/Inputs to strengthen STIP 2020 

Refer to enclosed document