- NI’s (National Instruments) engineering innovation centre allows customers to use testing equipment at reduced rates.
- The strategy allows the company to expand its customer base while providing the latter with access to the global market.
NI has renewed its focus on India, accelerating its efforts to build a strong partner network through collaborative efforts with startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Concentrated in Bengaluru’s thriving startup ecosystem, the testing and measurement houses an engineering innovation centre to provide access to test and measurement solutions to support hardware startups and SMEs across various sectors, including aerospace, defense, automotive, and healthcare.
In a candid discussion with EFY, NI’s Baskar Ceri and Shitendra Bhattacharya revealed that the innovation centre houses testing equipment that its customers, SMEs and startups, can use at a reduced price. “We collaborate with companies to offer equipment and assistance in developing test routines and procedures,” said Bhattacharya.
The centre aids startups and SMEs in accelerating the product development phases – from design to prototyping to final production. The collaboration enables the company to forge partnerships if the solutions complement its existing products. The strategy works both ways, allowing the company to expand its customer base while providing the startup access to the global market.
While refusing to categorise themselves as an incubator/ accelerator, Bhattacharya elucidated that the company was focused on creating holistic partnerships with companies at every stage of product development by providing startups and SMEs with resources, infrastructure, and expertise.
“We are open to working with startups that develop valuable intellectual property (IP). The centre allows us to explore options for revenue collaboration, IP acquisition, and partnership to develop further and market these IPs,” elaborates Ceri.
The innovation centre engages with startup funding programs, such as the Ministry of Defense’s IDEXX program and informs startups about leveraging funding opportunities to enhance their testing and development capabilities.
While initially focusing on Bangalore due to its startup concentration, the centre is evaluating ways to extend its services remotely by creating remote access to equipment through partnerships with universities and institutions. The company is actively cultivating effective collaborations with governmental bodies and institutions, balancing the availability of resources and ensuring adequate engineering support.
