Bengaluru: Amazon Web Services (AWS) India has announced the launch of the country’s first space accelerator program, which aims to support 24 promising space technology startups. The 14-week program, called AWS Space Accelerator: India, will provide technical expertise, specialized training, and mentorship to accelerate innovation in the space sector.
The initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2023 between AWS, ISRO and the Indian National Space Propulsion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) with the aim of facilitating the growth and development of space startups across India.
“This is the fourth consecutive year that AWS has run the Space Accelerator program, but the first time we’ve tied it to a specific country,” said Clint Crosier, director of aerospace and satellite operations at AWS. “India’s space sector has an extraordinary opportunity for growth,” Crosier said, citing a record number of startups, strong government support and the country’s highly skilled workforce in space-related technologies.
The selected startups represent various space sectors like spacecraft propulsion, orbital and launch vehicles, satellite imagery, geospatial applications, space tourism etc. Participants include a launch vehicle and sustainable satellite startup from Thoothukudi, an advanced geospatial analytics startup from Port Blair and a satellite technology based precision agriculture startup from Ahmedabad.
In addition to mentoring and training, finalist startups will receive up to $100,000 cumulatively in AWS credits to help them build and scale their solutions. The accelerator program is supported by T-Hub, an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler, and Minfy, an AWS Premier Partner.
“Submissions were evaluated based on factors including the uniqueness of the solution, product-market fit, innovation, sustainability, creative use of AWS technology, and the team’s ability to execute on their vision,” AWS said.
The initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2023 between AWS, ISRO and the Indian National Space Propulsion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) with the aim of facilitating the growth and development of space startups across India.
“This is the fourth consecutive year that AWS has run the Space Accelerator program, but the first time we’ve tied it to a specific country,” said Clint Crosier, director of aerospace and satellite operations at AWS. “India’s space sector has an extraordinary opportunity for growth,” Crosier said, citing a record number of startups, strong government support and the country’s highly skilled workforce in space-related technologies.
The selected startups represent various space sectors like spacecraft propulsion, orbital and launch vehicles, satellite imagery, geospatial applications, space tourism etc. Participants include a launch vehicle and sustainable satellite startup from Thoothukudi, an advanced geospatial analytics startup from Port Blair and a satellite technology based precision agriculture startup from Ahmedabad.
In addition to mentoring and training, finalist startups will receive up to $100,000 cumulatively in AWS credits to help them build and scale their solutions. The accelerator program is supported by T-Hub, an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler, and Minfy, an AWS Premier Partner.
“Submissions were evaluated based on factors including the uniqueness of the solution, product-market fit, innovation, sustainability, creative use of AWS technology, and the team’s ability to execute on their vision,” AWS said.
