The Innovation Xchange, a cornerstone event of the ITU-WTSA 2024 was held yesterday at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking a significant milestone in global technological collaboration.

The objective of the program was to foster international collaboration and innovation across key thematic areas in emerging technologies. There was extensive cross-pollination of ideas and global expertise. The program included thematic discussions on NextGen Networks (5G​/​6G), AI & robotics, Secured Communication Networks, and Quantum Communications.

The rapid technological advancements warrant the fusion of diverse perspectives from around the globe and therefore, each theme involved teams from India as well as some other ITU member countries namely USA, UK, UAE, Singapore. The composition of the teams included a lead faculty, a research student, and a startup working in the same thematic area.

The inaugural session was chaired by Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development and was attended by Ms. Madhu Arora, Member Technology, Digital Communications Commission,  Department of Telecommunications, India, Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and  Mr. Sanjeev K Sharma, Deputy Director General, Department of Telecom, Ministry of Communication.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development India spoke about how over the last decade India has been tirelessly working under leadership of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi to create an ecosystem that is conducive to growth of businesses and in particular startups. Since the launch of “Startup India, Standup India” initiative in 2015, India has emerged as the 3rd largest ecosystem for startups globally with over 1.12 lakh Government recognized startups. The academic research and startups are solving problems in diverse industrial sectors. He also said that the Bharat 6G Alliance, a vital platform uniting industry leaders, academia, startups, and government, is set to drive 6G innovation, guided by the vision of "Innovate in India, for India and the World.”

Inspiring the audience, he quoted from his own experience of being a startup founder and said “To create a successful and impactful business, it’s essential to solve real problems rather than just creating products. Innovate and disrupt by thinking beyond the obvious” He advised youngsters to Start small, but think big, and act now. He quipped “You don’t need all the resources in the world to begin—just conviction. Many waits for perfect conditions or significant funding, but the best time to start is now. Action creates momentum, and momentum fuels success”. On the inevitability of setbacks, he encouraged the audience by saying “Be comfortable with failure—it’s part of the process. Embrace them, learn, and pivot when needed. Persistence is what separates dreamers from achievers”. He further advised to Build a purpose-driven business by focusing on impact – “When your mission aligns with a meaningful purpose, everything falls into place. Customers, partners, and investors are drawn to ventures that aim to make a difference.” He concluded by saying “invest in people—your team is your greatest asset. When your team feels invested in the mission, they will give their best every day.”

In her address, Ms Madhu Arora, highlighted some of the initiatives of the Indian Government that go a long way in promoting innovation and start-up ecosystems in next-generation technologies. She urged ITU to collaborate with India in these areas. These initiatives included ‘setting up of hundred ‘5G Use Case Labs’, 5G Intelligent Villages, AI led Digital Twins.

Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), International Telecommunication Union (ITU) mentioned “It’s important to remember that people decided to innovate because they wanted to improve the quality of life and open new doors of opportunities and choice. Technology is just a means to an end I call upon everyone in the development sector to work towards unmasking technology and showing its human impact. This includes coordinating food supply, medication, and shelter to save humanity.” He then spoke about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and mentioned that “they can only be achieved if we put digital at the centre of everything we do”.

The Innovation Xchange event received an overwhelming response as it could connect the dots between research and productization. By integrating startup representatives into the teams, discussions were grounded in real-world applications and to the needs of productizing the research. By providing a platform for startups to engage with researchers and industry leaders, it facilitated a fertile ground for taking new research and ideas to market.

****

SB/DP/ARJ