How Will ANRF Support Startups and Small Businesses?

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) was established through the ANRF Act, 2023 to provide strategic direction for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship across various scientific disciplines in India. It serves as an apex body guiding scientific research in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP).

ANRF has subsumed the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), which was originally set up in 2008, and now fosters collaborations between industry, academia, and government institutions. It aims to seed, grow, and promote research and development (R&D) across universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories.

The foundation plays a crucial role in India’s scientific ecosystem, ensuring that research efforts align with Viksit Bharat 2047 and global best practices.

ANRF is launching initiatives to support startups and MSMEs, particularly in deep tech innovation. Here’s how it plans to help:

• Small Business Deep Tech Innovation Program: ANRF is rolling out a program inspired by global best practices to help startups and small businesses scale up technologies for real-world applications.
• Cloud of Research and Innovation Infrastructure: This initiative will allow deep-tech startups and institutions to access underused research equipment across India, maximizing national research infrastructure.
• Private Sector Collaboration: ANRF is positioning itself as a catalyst for private sector investment, ensuring that research outcomes align with market needs and public utility.
• AI-for-Science Initiative: ANRF is leveraging AI to accelerate scientific research, helping startups integrate AI-driven solutions into their solutions.

These efforts aim to bridge the gap between research and commercialization, ensuring that scientific advancements translate into scalable business solutions.

How does ANRF support differ from other startup programs?

ANRF’s support for startups and small businesses stands out in several ways compared to traditional startup programs:

• Deep-Tech Focus: Unlike many startup incubators that emphasize broad entrepreneurship, ANRF specifically targets deep-tech innovation, ensuring that research-driven startups receive tailored support.
• Hub-and-Spoke Model: Through the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) initiative, ANRF connects startups with top-tier research institutions, fostering mentorship and collaboration.
• Access to National Research Infrastructure: ANRF’s Cloud of Research and Innovation Infrastructure allows startups to utilize underused research equipment across India, reducing costs and accelerating R&D.
• AI-Driven Research Acceleration: ANRF integrates AI-for-Science initiatives, helping startups leverage AI for scientific breakthroughs and commercialization.
• Government-Industry Collaboration: Unlike standalone startup accelerators, ANRF facilitates cross-ministerial missions, ensuring that research aligns with national economic and technological priorities.

ANRF has been instrumental in supporting deep-tech startups and MSMEs through its Small Business Deep Tech Innovation Program. While specific startup names aren't widely publicized, some of the key areas where ANRF-backed ventures are making an impact are — AI-driven scientific modeling, Next-Gen battery technologies, Space-based applications, Healthcare and biotech, and startups focusing on medical diagnostics, drug discovery, and AI-powered health solutions.

ANRF’s Cloud of Research and Innovation Infrastructure has also helped startups access underused research equipment, reducing costs and accelerating development.