From ideation to getting off the ground, the startups have a lot to offer towards sustainable economies. The startups work as a value-added novelty to the industry. To highlight innovative and solution-oriented startups, NCRA, through its startup challenge, encourages research students and entrepreneurs developing solutions for industry and society using Robotics and Automation as a tool. The Robotics and Automation Startup Challenge is NCRA’s Annual event with its aim of solving societal and industrial problems through profitable, competitive, and sustainable startups.
The challenge has two thematic areas in which applicants can send their concept notes:
- Indigenous Product Development for Solving Societal/Industrial Problems using Robotics & Automation
- Indigenous Product Development to Provide Automation Solution to any Local Industry in line with Industry 3.0 – 4.0
This year’s challenge was launched through different mediums on July 1st, 2021. A total of 40 concept notes were received by the deadline of 25th August. An internal board conducted the initial scrutiny and shortlisted 18 proposals based on their relevance to Robotics and Automation. The shortlisted applicants were given two months for the development of prototypes and were asked to present the working models of their proposed ideas during final pitching rounds.
The final pitching rounds were held online on 22nd October 2021 due to the preventive measures taken for COVID-19. Each applicant showed the proof of concept followed by the pitch presentation. The jury asked questions pertaining technical and financial aspects of the ideas. The jury constitute of members having diverse backgrounds having expertise in Robotics, Automation and social domains.
The award of PKR 300,000 is awarded to winning startup in each theme and PKR 25,000 has been awarded to runner up in each theme. The winners have been decided based on problem identification, proposing a solution, and business feasibility.
In the theme of “Indigenous Product Development for Solving Societal/Industrial Problems using Robotics & Automation”, the startup name BrainSwarm for SIMBOT, Swarm Intelligent Miniature Robot (An Indigenous Cost-effective Miniature Mobile Robot Platform for Research and Education) won the prize. The startup proposed to develop a miniature robotic platform to help the masses in our education system provide quality state-of-the-art skills with hands-on experience and devise a curriculum that can produce a human resource to deploy these skills at the practical level.
In the second theme i.e., “Indigenous Product Development to Provide Automation Solution to any Local Industry in line with Industry 3.0 – 4.0” startup named NextGen Robotix for Open Source 3D Printed General-Purpose Humanoid Robot won the award. The founders have developed Full-Size Humanoid Robot designed in SolidWorks, having voice control feature, a speaker, and a speech processor. It also recognizes objects, faces, and other items Camera Module, Image Processor, etc. Humanoid Robots can be upgraded, can help promote learning and education as well.
Below is the video demonstration of 3D Robot Serving Drinks
NCRA conducts the Robotics and Automation startup challenge every year with themes that are most relevant to Pakistani needs. For details on upcoming challenges and events of NCRA, please visit http://ncra.org.pk.
The author is the Research, M&E Officer at the National Centre of Robotics and Automation (NCRA) hosted at the College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (CEME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST). She can be reached at jannat@ncra.org.pk.
