New Delhi, Dec 28 (NationPress) Celebrating a significant milestone in the Indian startup ecosystem, 12 startups nurtured at the incubator backed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) secured grant agreements totaling Rs 50 lakh during an event held in Tamil Nadu, highlighting the innovations emerging from tier 2 cities.

These startups, part of the Sona Inclusive Technology Business Incubator (i-TBI), received their grants under the DST–NIDHI initiative to propel their business concepts, as revealed at the 'Think Salem 2025' startup conclave.

In addition, the Startup India Seed Fund at Sona Incubations allocated Rs 60 lakh to five promising startups.

The ventures fostered in Salem encompass a range of sectors including healthcare technology, mobility solutions, sustainability, drones, food innovation, and applied deep-tech, illustrating the evolving startup landscape in Salem.

“The five startups selected for the Rs 60 lakh grant from the Startup India Seed Fund, overseen by the Sona Incubation Foundation, are engaged in projects focusing on diaper waste management, millet-based food products, and an ed-tech platform that provides immersive learning experiences,” stated Dr. S. R.R. Senthilkumar, Executive Chair of Sona Incubations and Principal of Sona College of Technology.

Pioneering the high Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) cohort is NervePro, a healthcare deep-tech startup from Salem that has developed an affordable, portable nerve-monitoring system aimed at safeguarding facial nerves during complex ENT and skull-base surgeries. The startup has successfully completed a proof-of-concept validation study.

Another startup from Tamil Nadu, IswiftPro–Min-Sakthi, offers an IoT and AI-driven solution that digitizes energy consumption at the appliance level, facilitating accurate forecasting, smart billing, and enhanced energy efficiency for both households and institutions.

DroneTribes, also based in Salem, has achieved a TRL of 6 with its locally designed drones tailored for agriculture, security, and training purposes, with functional prototypes and field trials already in progress.

From Kanyakumari, Cabocab is a ride-hailing service operating across Tier-3 cities in India. With a TRL of 9, the startup concentrates on enhancing last-mile connectivity, providing quicker journeys beyond the major metropolitan areas.

Dr. T. S. Rao, Senior Advisor (Retd.) of the Union Department of Biotechnology, remarked, “Innovation is only significant when it serves public utility. We must transition ideas from the lab to society through quality, scalability, and public-private partnerships.”

Startup founders hail from various locations including Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirupur, Trichy, Hosur, Kanyakumari, and Hyderabad, with Technology Readiness Levels varying from early proof-of-concept to advanced prototype validation.

Sivakumar Palanisamy, Vice President and Chief of Staff of StartupTN, expressed, “AI will become integral to daily life. The future is for startups that reimagine challenges, tailor solutions, and cultivate skills—not just those targeting big-city locations.”

aar/na