Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), in collaboration with Arrow Electronics, has set up a Centre of Excellence – STPI IoT OpenLab here. The first batch of IoT startups is already on board, STPI said in a statement on Monday.

“The STPI IoT OpenLab will bring in transformative changes in innovation, product development and IPR creation in IoT domain by nurturing promising tech startups while providing a compelling collaborative platform,” the statement said. IoT OpenLab would enable innovative startups to develop disruptive IoT-based applications, products and solutions in various business verticals like defence, aeronautics, industrial, agriculture, health, automotive and education, the STPI said.

The lab is spread over an area of 4,200 sq ft. It aims to support and nurture around 500 startups over a period of five years, it was stated.

The IoT OpenLab is being supported by IESA and TiE (Industry Association Partners) to provide network opportunities to startups, PES Institute of Technology and RV College of Engineering (Academic Partners) to provide academic expertise and mentoring to the startups and Cyber Media and Forum Synergy (VC/Angel Partners) to provide funding access and opportunities to the startups. The industry partnership covers ONsemi, Kyocera, NXP, Analog devices, ST Micro, Infineon, Silicon Labs, Microchip, Littelfuse, and KEMET, the statement said.

STPI Director-General Omkar Rai, in his keynote address during the webinar of Going Live with STPI IoT OpenLab, said: Startups can access the STPI IoT OpenLab from all across the country and leverage the potential of mentor pool.” STPI is an autonomous society under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology..