Ten disruptive technologies 2009--2012

Gartner identified 10 disruptive technologies for the next 4 years. They are:

• Multicore and hybrid processors
• Virtualisation and fabric computing
• Social networks and social software
• Cloud computing and cloud/Web platforms
• Web mashups
• User Interface
• Ubiquitous computing
• Contextual computing
• Augmented reality
• Semantics

Nature's 100 best innovations

With support from UNEP and many other bodies, Anine Benyus and Gunter Pauli shortlisted one hundred technologies that are all inspired by proven design systems from Nature. For details of book and list see: http://www.n100best.org/

Triple Helix VII conference

The Triple Helix is about innovation systems based on university-industry-government relations. The biennial Triple Helix conferences started twelve years ago to analyze the interaction between University, Government and Industry, and its influence on the economic development of specific regions.The Seventh International Triple Helix Conference (Triple Helix VII) to be held from 17-19 June 2009 at the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

Innova Materials

Innova Materials is a materials technology company spun out of the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton Business Plan Competition
Innova wins 3 of 5 prizes awarded in competition, including 2nd Place, the People's Choice Award, the Gloeckner Award, and nearly $30,000 in cash and services. Innova Materials lets manufacturers impart the surface of polymer products with new properties and functionalities via conventional spray-painting equipment.Innlay requires no changes to existing manufacturing processes and allows manufacturers to cost-effectively incorporate nanoscale or microscale active materials into the surface of their products.Alex Mittal, Priyanka Agarwal, Arjun Srinivas are promoters.

Technology Day awards 2008

Dr APJ Kalam gave away Technology day awards on 11th May 2008. TDB gave 3 awards, National award for Natco Pharma ltd, awards to SSI units went to Lifecare Innovations Pvt ltd, and Prime Telesystems ltd, Delhi.Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma Limited was conferred the National Award for developing and commercialising five innovative anti-cancer drugs.Lifecare Innovations Pvt. Ltd. received the national award for commercialising highly economic formulation for treatment of systemic mycosis and Kala Azar.Prime Telesystems Limited, Delhi received the award for developing and commercialising the High Definition Video over Subscriber Line standard and supporting technology stack for the delivery of interactive video over emerging cable, telephony and internet networks. DBT gave award to Dr Banwarilal of TERI for developing Microbial enhanced oil recovery .
Click to read inspiring speech given by Dr Kalam.

Where Are India’s Innovative Companies, Products and Solutions?

Thought provoking article from Mark Fidelman. Must read for all stakeholders of Indian innovation system.

Any comments?

Too many funding programs

Earlier there was paucity of funds from government for research & innovation, now many complain there are too many windows and what is needed is a single window. Well, this single window may never emerge as American experience shows. I got a mail about `The American Grants and Loans Book' priced at $149.95 containing list of about 1700 financial programs, subsidies, scholarships, grants and loans offered by the United States federal government. Is it a pointer to future in India?

Technology Pioneers 2009

World Economic Forum invites proposals for Technology pioneers 2009. The categories for Technology Pioneers are:
1. Biotechnology and Health
2. Information Technology
3. Energy and Environmental Technologies
Innovative company can self nominate or it can be nominated by others. Last date 30 June 2008. Companies seeking nomination can contact me for guidance. See details at :
http://www.weforum.org/en/Communities/Technology%20Pioneers/Nominations/index.htm

TiE-ISB connect 2008

The TiE-ISB Connect '08 will be held on November 5th, 6th and 7th, 2008 at the ISB campus in Hyderabad. Important dates:
Executive summaries due : 15th June 2008
Mentoring sessions: 1st August 2008
Business plans due:15th October 2008
Business plan presentation:5th November 2008

Lockheed Marting innovation awards 2008

The 2008 Winners of Lockheed Martin India Innovation growth program were announced on May 2nd. Gold medal winners include Kranti Vistakula, a MIT researcher who decided to promote a start-up in Hyderabad to develop Clima Gear, temperature regulating apparel, currently incubated at NID, Ahmedabad and supported under TePP. Slow release micro nutrient fertilizer by Dr Chandrika Varadachari, novel extendable pedal crank mechanism by Prof Manoj Kumar Mandal of IIT Kharagpur, Surya Kiran of Col JJ Singh were some of the other winners.
This program will continue for another 2 years and all finalists will be mentored at ICsquare Institute

TiE Canaan Entrepreneurial Challenge 2008

Applications are accepted for TiE Cannan Entrepreneurial challenge 2008. Last date 12th May 2008. At least one finalist will be invited to join the Microsoft Startup Accelerator Program where they will get access, guidance and support on the Microsoft Platform as well as market development support from Microsoft. A representative from each of the winning teams will be invited to attend a course pro bono at the Center for Executive Education at the Indian School of Business (ISB).The Winners would be mentored by NASSCOM, Canaan Partners, and Jury Members for three months after the event.

`Women Invent' from author Susan Casey

This is one of the most reader friendly book I ever read on Innovation yet very informative. Why did she write on this topic? To quote her:

"I was talking to my friend’s father about how he invented Bounce, the anti-static tissue for the dryer. He explained his inspiration. His wife couldn’t gauge when to put the liquid softener in the washer so she kept running up and down the stairs to check. That gave him, his name was Conrad Gaiser, the idea to invent something that would serve the same purpose but be used in the dryer. I thought his story was interesting so talked to a magazine about writing an article about the stories of the invention ordinary household items, like Bounce. The editor suggested I also find out about inventions by women. By the time I finished the research for the article I was so interested in the stories of women inventors that I kept on going."

INFOSYS prize for mathematics

Infosys Technologies Limited (Infosys) and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore announce the establishment of a new prize in mathematics: the INFOSYS Prize for Mathematics.

The prize will be awarded to a person who has made outstanding contributions — fundamental or applied — in any field of mathematics including in the areas of pure mathematics, mathematical foundations of computer science and applied mathematics in natural, life and social sciences.The prize will consist of a cash prize of one million Indian rupees (US$25,000) and a medal.

Last date -April 30, 2008

Biopreneur-E Magazine

First issue of Biopreneur- a quarterly E Magazine is now available for download.
URL: http://www.biopreneur.org/images/E_mag_Biopreneur.pdf
The initial issue contains basic information for transition of researcher into an entrepreneur and useful information o patent protection, business plan tips, Bio-business in India and Asia.

e-tendering software from TOSPL

Start up firm, Trans Online Systems Private Limited, indigenously developed a fully secure and IT ACT 2000 compliant end-to-end web based tendering solution with inbuilt unique features. Unlike other software products their unique pay as you use ASP model allows departments to adopt electronic tendering system without any upfront investment.They are looking for partners/ associates to promote our products/ services in other regions. The start-up secured 3rd place in the Impresario 2008 competition held at IIT Kanpur. Interested parties can contact:
Sukant Bhattacharya
CEO
Trans Online Systems Private Limited
Mobile: +91 9826156395
Phone: +91 761 3295667

2008 Millennium Technology Prize

Trailblazing technologies that improved high-speed long-distance communication, provided the blueprint for mobile phone networks, introduced DNA fingerprinting, and created new drug delivery systems were announced Tuesday as finalists for Finland's 2008 Millennium Technology Prize.Randy Giles, director of optical subsystems and advanced photonics at Alcatel–Lucent's Bell Labs in New Jersey; Emmanuel Desurvire, director of Thales Corporate Research & Technology's physics research group in France; and David Payne, director of the University of Southampton's Optoelectronics Research Center in England, each earned finalist spots for their contributions to telecommunications through the invention of the erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), which made possible the global high-capacity fiber-optic network that serves as the Internet's backbone.Andrew Viterbi, president of investment and advisory firm Viterbi Group, LLC, and co-founder of telecommunications provider Qualcomm, Inc., won finalist recognition for his development of the Viterbi algorithm, a technique that has advanced the design and implementation of modern wireless communication systems. Mobile phone networks rely on the algorithm to eliminate noise. Computer disk drives, MP3 players and systems that cull information received from deep space also use the algorithm. Without the Viterbi algorithm, "we would not have cell phones'.

i-Runway

iRunway , locate din Bangalore provides technology&IP due diligence, Innovation Management services and Litigation support services. See details at: http://www.i-runway.com/index.html
Contact person: Kunal Sharma, Co-Founder, kunal@i-Runway.com

Mechartes Researchers Pvt.Ltd

Mechartes Researchers Pvt.Ltd is a successful start-up engineering firm incubated at FITT, IIT, Delhi. Promoted by faculty and students of IIT Delhi,, Dr CV Ramakrishnan, Dr MR Ravi, Shishir Gupta, the start-up offers services like Flow and thermal analysis using CFD , Vibration Isolation system design and also products like Triami, a tool to manage enormous engineering data using open source platform, needed for firms periodically updating products along with assortment of assembly information.

Green Energy and Green Livelihoods Award

Sierra club announced $100,000 "Green energy and green livelihood award" for NGO's. The purpose of the award is to build public support for community organizations in India that are helping the country leapfrog past polluting and inefficient technologies in order to create green jobs and a green economy. The award will be given annually to one exemplary environmental or environmentally-related organization that satisfies predetermined criteria for constructive community-based work. Deadline:September 2008.

Ojas Venture Partners

Ojas is one of the few early stage funds ( $35M corpus) for start-ups. It was backed by Mr. Raghavan S. Nadathur (NSR), the co-founder and former JMD of Infosys. NSR has been an active player in the early stage ecosystem in India since 2000 helping with mentorship and guidance through NSR Center for Entrepreneurial Learning at IIM – Bangalore as well as with financial capital from Nadathur Holdings and Investments. NHIL (www.nadathur.com) is a private wealth management company with assets under management in excess of $500 M.
Contact: Avniel Dravid,Senior Associate, avniel@ojasventures.com