Guwahati, 30 March 2021: Assam down town University (AdtU) and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) on March 23 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purpose of collaborating in eight Centres of Excellence (CoE) with Start-up Innovation Zones (SIZ) in each state capital of Northeast India. This has been done under the Vision Document of ‘Digital North East 2022’, set up by STPI.

The CoEs and SIZs have been named as OctaNE which refers to all interconnected and domain focused CoEs in capital cities of each Northeastern state.

The MoU was signed by Vice Chancellor of AdtU Dr. NC Talukdar and Prabir Kumar Das, Jurisdictional Director-Software Technology Parks of India, West Bengal, Assam and Northeast in presence of Prof. Bandana Dutta, Dean of Studies AdtU, Dr. Sunandan Baruah, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology AdtU and Ochintya Sharma, Industry leading Innovator and Scientist aamong others.

The MoU aims at forging a strong collaboration between AdtU and STPI towards working closely in the field of academia, technology based innovation and entrepreneurship in Assam and Northeast India.

The university administration informed that given each other’s strengths in research and facilities, the collaboration will mutually benefit the start-up community of the region and other industry stakeholders in similar field through the joint activities undertaken by STPI and ADTU. The first step towards this has already been made with the announcement of ‘Campus Connect’ programme for aspiring tech innovators of Assam down town University. Under this programme, the students of Assam down town University will get an opportunity to work on designing IoT solutions specifically targeted for Agriculture and allied sectors.

The first set of student innovators are expected to be ready with their prototype by April 30, 2021. The successful innovators will get the opportunity to display their prototype in the Student Innovation Zone and will get the opportunity to be mentored by CoE mentors in the final leg of the Campus Connect programme.