Govt approves Rs 50 lakh grants for 4 technical textiles startups

In a significant move to boost innovation in the technical textiles sector, the government has approved grants of approximately Rs 50 lakhs each to four startups.

These approvals were made during the 8th meeting of the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).

The meeting was chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and took place at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi.

The grants are part of the 'Grant for Research & Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT)' scheme, aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and research in this specialized field.

Four focus areas

The selected startups will work on projects in key strategic areas of technical textiles, including composites, sustainable textiles, and smart textiles.

These areas are critical as they involve innovative materials that are designed for their functional properties rather than aesthetic purposes.

For example, composites are used in high-performance applications, sustainable textiles focus on environmental impact, and smart textiles integrate technology into fabrics, making them suitable for wearables and other advanced applications.

New courses in technical textiles

In addition to supporting startups, the government has also approved a grant of approximately Rs 20 crore to five educational institutions.

These funds will be used to introduce new B.Tech courses focused on various fields within technical textiles, such as geotextiles, geosynthetics, composites, and civil structures.

The goal is to create a skilled workforce that can contribute to the growing technical textiles industry.

The inclusion of these courses in the curriculum is seen as a strategic move to align education with industry needs, ensuring that the next generation of engineers is well-versed in the applications of technical textiles.

National technical textiles mission

The grants are part of the broader National Technical Textiles Mission, which seeks to expand India's technical textiles market. Currently, the market is the fifth largest globally and has been growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8-10% over the past five years.

The mission aims to accelerate this growth to 15-20% annually, with a target of increasing the domestic market size to $40-50 billion by 2024. The mission's objectives include market development, international collaborations, and boosting the "Make in India" initiative, which emphasizes domestic production.