What Are The Top Govt Led Domain-Specific Centres of Excellence? Find Key Details Here

In a push to make India a global hub for technology and innovation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has operationalized a network of Domain-Specific Centres of Excellence (CoEs) across the country. These Centres serve as focal points for knowledge management, skill development, and research in emerging technology areas, creating an ecosystem where startups and innovators can thrive.

The CoEs are designed to enable self-sufficiency in key sectors while nurturing the capabilities required to capture opportunities in deep tech. They are the result of collaboration between MeitY, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), state governments, industry players, and venture capitalists, bringing together expertise, infrastructure, and resources in one place.

Purpose and Objectives of Centres of Excellence

The primary goal of the Domain-Specific CoEs is to:

• Provide a structured platform for startups and innovators to access mentorship, technology support, and funding.

• Facilitate research, development, and commercialization of products in high-priority sectors such as FinTech, IoT, ESDM (Electronics System Design & Manufacturing), MedTech, Health Informatics, and Intellectual Property.

• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration among startups, industry experts, and academia.

• Strengthen India’s capabilities in emerging and deep tech areas while fostering innovation-led entrepreneurship.

Key Centres of Excellence and Their Focus Areas

1. FinTech CoE – STPI Chennai
   Supports emerging startups in financial technology by offering infrastructure, coaching, mentorship, technology assistance, and access to funding.

2. IoT OpenLab
   Aims to support up to 500 IoT startups over five years, helping them develop disruptive applications, products, and services while providing valuable networking opportunities.

3. ESDM Incubation Centre – Bhubaneswar
   Focuses on creating a holistic ecosystem for Electronics System Design & Manufacturing innovation, R&D, and intellectual property generation in eastern India.

4. Medi-Electronics & Health Informatics CoE – SGPGI Lucknow
   Stimulates growth of technology-based startups in medical electronics and health informatics by providing mentorship, infrastructure, market support, and funding.

5. Intellectual Property CoE
   Encourages growth in IP in ICT by creating a framework for identification, protection, and monetization of intellectual property rights, enabling innovators to capitalize on their creations.

Centres of Excellence Benefits for Startups 

The CoEs provide a wide range of benefits for startups and innovators:

• Access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and labs.

• Mentorship from industry and academic experts.

• Funding support and investor networking.

• Opportunities to commercialize prototypes and build scalable products.

• Integration into a larger innovation ecosystem, enabling collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Centres of Excellence:

Curious how India is boosting deep tech innovation? Explore MeitY’s Domain-Specific Centres of Excellence (CoEs) offering infrastructure, mentorship, and funding for startups in FinTech, IoT, MedTech, and more.

Impact and Vision

Since its administrative approval on 7th December 2018, MeitY has operationalized 26 Centres of Excellence across India. These CoEs act as enablers, democratizing access to innovation and technology while fostering the creation of high-impact startups.

By providing resources, mentorship, and funding, the CoEs aim to make India self-reliant in emerging technologies and position the country as a global hub for innovation. They represent a strategic effort to translate India’s deep tech potential into tangible products, services, and intellectual property.

The Domain-Specific Centres of Excellence initiative is a testament to India’s commitment to deep tech and innovation-driven growth. By bridging gaps in infrastructure, funding, and mentorship, these CoEs are empowering startups to develop cutting-edge solutions, capture new technology areas, and contribute to a globally competitive innovation ecosystem.

For innovators and startups in FinTech, IoT, ESDM, MedTech, and IP sectors, these Centres are not just incubators—they are launchpads for future-ready technologies.