The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, October 13, 2025 — The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an autonomous telecom R&D body under the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, organized the kick-off session for ‘Samarth Cohort-II’ during India Mobile Congress 2025 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
Under this phase, 18 startups have been selected to receive financial grants, office space, and access to advanced lab facilities at C-DOT’s Delhi and Bengaluru campuses. The initiative aims to accelerate indigenous innovation in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, Li-Fi, drone technology, and 5G/6G communications.
The ‘Samarth’ Incubation Program, launched in March 2025, provides holistic support to startups in the Telecom and ICT sectors. The program is implemented in partnership with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE). Startups are offered funding, mentorship, and business acceleration sessions for six months.
In the first phase, 18 startups showcased innovative solutions to five problem statements provided by C-DOT, with the top five earning additional grants based on performance. Building on that success, Cohort-II focuses on new technological challenges in AI, security, and next-gen communication systems.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO, C-DOT, said,
“The passion, creativity, and determination of our startups are the driving forces behind India’s digital transformation. As we celebrate Cohort-I’s success and launch Cohort-II, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing future telecom leaders.”
Dr. Upadhyay further emphasized C-DOT’s vision to establish Academic Centres of Excellence across top institutions to embed innovation at the academic level.
The event was graced by senior dignitaries including Dr. Pankaj Kumar Dalela, Dr. Dilip Krishnaswamy, Arvind Kumar (DG, STPI), Pradeep Gupta (Chairman, Cyber Media Group), and Upasana Sharma (Executive Director, TiE Delhi-NCR), along with technical mentors and the selected startups.
C-DOT’s Samarth Program aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, promoting indigenous telecom innovation and industry collaboration.
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