ISRO, Microsoft sign MoU to support space startups in India

US tech company Microsoft, today, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the sidelines of chairman and chief executive Satya Nadella’s four-day visit to India. Through the tie-up, space startups identified by ISRO will be onboarded on the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub platform that offers support to startups in India.

The startups will be provided with technology tools and platforms, go-to-market support, and mentorship for scaling, the company said in a statement. The collaboration is in line with ISRO’s vision to harness the market potential of the most promising space tech innovators and entrepreneurs in India.

Microsoft’s Startups Founders Hub platform provides free access to tech tools and resources to startups, required to build and run their businesses. It includes technical support to build and scale on the company’s Azure cloud platform, developer and productivity tools like GitHub Enterprise, Visual Studio Enterprise and Microsoft 365, and access to smart analytics with Power BI and Dynamics 365.

The company will also offer mentoring support in areas like space engineering, cloud technologies, products, design, fundraising, sales, and marketing. Founders of these startups will have access to the Microsoft Learn platform that will provide tailored startup-centric training content and programs to build connections with the industry and potential customers.

ISRO and Microsoft will also jointly organise knowledge-sharing and thought-leadership sessions by industry experts. The startup founders will be given technical support, go-to-market strategies, and opportunities to sell their solutions through Microsoft channels and marketplace.

ISRO chairman S .Somanath said that this collaboration will benefit space tech startups in their analysis and processing of satellite data using AI, machine learning, and deep learning. “The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is a useful platform for bringing together startups and providers of technology solutions to support the national space technology ecosystem. We are pleased to work together to assist and support entrepreneurs, to in turn benefit the Indian economy as a whole,” he added.

“Through our technology tools, platforms, and mentorship opportunities, we are deeply committed to empowering space tech startups in the country to drive cutting-edge innovation and accelerate scientific discovery,” said Anant Maheshwari, president of Microsoft India.