National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has been at the fore front of commercializing innovative indigenous technologies developed by various national R&D Institutions and Universities in the country to startups, SMEs and Corporates. The corporation’s initiatives have led to transfer of technologies to about 5000 entrepreneurs in India and abroad and is credited to have filed more than 1800 patents. It is actively supporting startup India mission by evaluating the innovative content in the startups proposals submitted to DIPP and recommending the eligible startups for tax benefits to the DIPP and Inter Ministerial Board. The achievements during the last 4 years and the vision for the future are presented by Dr.H. Purushotham, CMD, NRDC.
National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) is a Govt. of India Public Sector Enterprise established under section 25 of the Companies act 1956 (Now Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013) as early as in 1953 for the development, promotion and transfer of technologies emanating from R&D organizations and academic institutions. It is operating under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India since 1985. Over the years of its existence NRDC has developed a wide network with R & D organizations, industries, industry associations, etc. During its journey of more than six decades, it has gained a very rich experience in the field of technology/IPR management, technology transfer and commercialization to industry.
The value addition made by the Corporation to the laboratory scale technologies propels the translation of innovative research into marketable industrial manufacturing technology. The extensive expertise within the Corporation along with the extensive network of national and international scientific bodies, technology transfer agencies, industrial and engineering concerns ensures the entrepreneurs in receiving the advanced technology and services. The Corporation endeavour has resulted in transfer of technologies to about 5000 entrepreneurs in India and abroad and it has filed more than 1800 patents. NRDC will be playing a pivotal role in strengthening the emerging innovation and startup eco-system in the country.
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE LAST 4 YEARS:
- The key achievements during the last 4 years are as follows:-
(i) Technologies Transferred under Start-up India and Make in India : Signed 118 MoUs/Agreements with R&D Laboratories / Institutions (CSIR, DRDO, IITs, PSUs, Universities, etc.)
(ii) Acquired 345 new technologies from these Laboratories
(iii) Licensed 156 technologies to entrepreneurs / start-ups / MSMES / Corporates.
(iv) NRDC earned Rs.6724/- Lakhs as premia and royalty from technology licensing.
The Total revenue earned and the profit earned during the last 4 years compared to previous 4 years is shown in the Figure below. It could be seen from the figure that the revenue growth was 148% and the profit growth was about 1162%.
Recognising the turnaround efforts of “Team NRDC”, Governance Now conferred to NRDC the “Best PSU Award 2017” for financial turnaround.
- Consultancy projects undertaken in India :-
(i) NRDC is implementing Indian Oil Corporation limited (IOCL) Start-up Scheme of Rs.30 Crores (in first call)
(ii) NRDC is managing and monitoring CSIR-CEERI Pillani Incubation Centre and the start-ups being incubated in their Incubation Centre at Jaipur.
(iii) NRDC is actively supporting Start-up India Mission by evaluating the proposals received by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) for innovativeness in start-ups and also assisting start-ups through Scheme for Facilitating Start-ups Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP).
(iv) NRDC is also partnered with Andhra Pradesh Government through AP Innovation Society (APIS) to promote start-ups in the State and transferred about 8 technologies to startups.
(v) NRDC prepared a “Technology Foresight Report on Nanotechnology Applications in the Oil & Gas Exploration” for ONG Energy Centre.
(vi) NRDC prepared a comprehensive IPR & Technology Transfer Policy for National Institute of Technology, Chennai, & GITAM University, Vishakhapatnam
(vii) Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog has granted establishment of Atal Incubation Centre at NRDC and Rs.10 crore grants-in-aid is being sanctioned.
- International Consultancy Projects concluded
(i) NRDC has completed the Pilot Research Project for Tomato Production in Ghana at three locations to demonstrate the Indian Technologies for Tomato Production supported by MEA (US$2.08 million).
(ii) Organized Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) on IP & Technology Transfer Training Programme under India-Africa Partnership supported by MEA.
(iii) Partnered with MoMSME-UNIDO (GCIP – 2017) for evaluating the proposals for validating the technologies and nurturing cleantech innovators and entrepreneurs for sustainable growth of the cleantech ecosystem.
- IPR Promotion in the country
(i) NRDC organized about 80 IPR awareness workshops to create awareness of about Govt. of India IPR Policy and IPR basics in various universities across the country and filed 162 patents during the last 4 years.
(ii) NRDC opened six University Innovation Facilitation Centres (UIFC) different Universities to create awareness about IP and innovations and facilitating Intellectual Property management and technology transfer in the Universities.
(iii) NRDC opened two Intellectual Property Facilitation Centres (IPFC) with partial financial support from Ministry of MoSME, and DSIR, Govt. of India at Bangalore and Vishakhapatnam.
(iv) WIPO sanctioned Technology Innovation Support Centre (TISC) at NRDC – Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre at Vishakhapatnam.
- NRDC as Skill Developer and Brand Ambassador Organised about 100 EDP/Skill Development Programmes to improve the livelihood of rural population using CSIR 800 and other Technologies.
- Out-reach Programs
(i) NRDC participates and organizes large number of out-reach programs, like exhibitions, industry-institute interactive meets, opening up of outreach centers, website, social media, publications of magazines & newsletters, organizing and attending national and international conferences.
(ii) NRDC has opened an Incubation Center at its HQs to reach out to entrepreneurs to promote start-ups and it is being further strengthening with Atal Innovation Mission support.
(iii) NRDC opened one of its outreach centre in partnership with Govt. of Assam at Guwahati Biotech Park, Guwahati.
- Innovate India
(i) Innovate India is NRDC’s annual event organised at INSA for 2017 Meritorious Awards. So far 945 NRDC National Awards were conferred to the innovators and inventions.
(ii) NRDC is regularly publishing S&T magazine Awishkar (Hindi) and Invention Intelligence (English)
- Awards & Accolades : During the last 4 years NRDC got (i) Indian Chamber of Commerce PSE Excellence Award 2016 (ii) SKOCH-BSE 2016 Award for “Nurturing Creativity and Innovation” in the country (iii)ASSOCHAM Services Excellence Awards 2017 for “Technology Transfer Services”(iv) Governance Now: Best PSU Award for “R&D and Turnaround 2017” and (v) International Association of Advanced Materials Medal 2017.
NRDC is engaged in the development, promotion and transfer of technologies emanating from various national R & D institutions/universities.It offers its Intellectual Property ( IP) and technology transfer services in wide areas like: Chemical, Agro & Food processing, Life Sciences, Mechanical, Electrical & Electronics etc. and it acts as an effective catalyst translating innovative research into marketable industrial products. NRDC has the largest repository of Indian IPs & technologies and licensed technologies to about 5000 entrepreneurs/start-ups/institutes/corporates and filed about 1800 Patents.
Major contribution in the last four years:
- 118 MOUs signed, (growth of 188% over the last 4 years), to transfer technologies/IPs from academia/laboratories to SMEs/Strat-ups.
- 345 technologies acquired, (growth of 60% over the last 4 years), from public funded R&D institutes/universities/PSUs for transferring them to SMEs/Start-ups.
- 156 technologies licensed, (growth of 31% over the last 4 years), to entrepreneur/SMEs/Start-ups to support various flagship programs of government like Start-up India, Make In India.
- Earned Premia & Royalty of Rs.67.24 Crores, (growth of 161% over the last 4 years) from technology commercialization.
Flagship Programs supported through technology transfer:
Some innovative technologies licensed by NRDC for commercialization during last 4 years are as under in India and abroad.
- To support Make-In-India initiative of Government, NRDC has licensed 10 hP Small Krishi Shakti Tractor, Remote Operating Vehicle.
- To support Diabetic Free India Movement, NRDC has licensed AYUSH-82 (Anti Diabetic ayurvedic formulation) to 13 start-up companies.
- To promote Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, NRDC has licensed Technology for Construction of Toilet Unit with Precast Thin Segmental Elements (TUTIP) and a Biotechnology based Larvicide to 4 start-up companies
- To promote Solar Energy initiative, NRDC has licensed Solar Power Tree to 3 start-up companies of Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh.
- NRDC is also promoting various government schemes like, women empowerment, Start-up India by way of transferring technologies to SMEs/Start-ups.
- To promote Skill India initiative, NRDC has conducted 15 Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) to train 1851 local/rural youths to create employability in the country.
- To strengthen diplomatic relations with Africa, NRDC established Pilot Research project on tomato cultivation at Ghana. The project was supported by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
