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AWS India has launched its first-of-its-kind Space Accelerator program to incubate 24 innovative space technology startups from the country. The 14-week initiative will provide technical expertise, specialized AWS training, and mentorship from space domain experts.
“This is the fourth consecutive year 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.
The program, in collaboration with ISRO and IN-SPACe, will also provide up to $100,000 in AWS credits to these startups to help them scale their solutions. Backed by T-Hub and Minfy, the accelerator will evaluate applications based on uniqueness, market fit, innovation, and sustainability.
The selected startups are from different regions and focus on various space sectors, including spacecraft propulsion, orbital and launch vehicles, satellite imaging, geospatial applications, weather analysis and space tourism.
Examples include a launch vehicle and sustainable satellite startup from Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu; a geospatial analytics startup from Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; and a satellite technology-based precision agriculture startup from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
“We specifically chose to host this first-of-its-kind country’s space accelerator in India because we see extraordinary growth opportunities in the country’s space sector. A record number of new space startups are being founded in India and the strong support from the Government of India is evident through our MoUs with ISRO and IN-SPACe. India also has one of the most well-educated and talented talent pools in the world in technology, including space. We are pleased to have so many talented space startups participate in this exciting program,” added Crocier.
The 24 startups will present their solutions and showcase their innovations to AWS leaders, T-Hub, Minfy, and potential investors at a Demo Day event in mid-2024. The platform will enable startups to increase their visibility and attract key stakeholders for further growth and development in the competitive space technology sector.
AdvickAgventure (Ahmedabad, Gujarat), AERO2ASTRO (Chennai, Tamil Nadu), AeroinSpaceTech Pvt. Ltd. (Chennai, Tamil Nadu), Agnihotri Aerospace (Mangalore, Karnataka), AkashaLabdhi Pvt. Ltd. (Roorkee, Uttarakhand), BrahmaandcoSpacetech (Mumbai, Maharashtra) and Expanse Cosmos (Delhi) are some of the startups selected for the program.
