IIT Hyderabad will work with New Frontier Capital Management, a financial firm based in Hong Kong with offices in Tokyo and Singapore. IIT Hyderabad collaboration with the Hong Kong company will also
establish a global network for ventures.

This MoU will also enable New Frontier Capital Management to establish an office at the IIT Hyderabad campus.

With a surge in start-up culture globally, we have taken a major step forward and have signed an MoU with an established venture capitalist, New Frontier Capital Management (NFCM), which has a worldwide presence including in Tokyo and Singapore.

Joint innovation centre in Tokyo and IITH campus along with an office for NFCM at IITH campus will provide a global platform for IITH incubatees. This will indeed strengthen the distinctive bond IITH shares with Japan and opens up new opportunities for research and promotes the culture of entrepreneurship, he said.

IIT Hyderabad collaboration envisages establishment of Joint Innovation Centres in Tokyo and Telangana and will also create an eco system that is connected to global research institutions.

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IIT Hyderabad places a lot of emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation as part of its undergraduate program, which has resulted in a growing number of students starting their own ventures or joining startups.

Speaking more on IIT Hyderabad collaboration Mr. Usuki, CEO of New Frontier Capital Management, said Japanese corporations have a very strong interest in innovation coming out of India.

Through IIT Hyderabad collaboration they expect to further the mutual relationship between India and Japan especially in the fields of venture and innovation.

‘The MoU will enable us to establish our office in the IIT Hyderabad campus to promote more information sharing both ways and, in such case, we expect broader development of the India-Japan collaboration.’

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IIT Hyderabad has a very vibrant incubation and research park ecosystems. The focus is on deep tech companies. A lot is being planned to achieve with help of this IIT Hyderabad collaboration.

IIT Hyderabad is a source of early stage ideas, research, incubation and technologies, especially in the fields of 5G, IoT, Fabless Chip Health Care, AI and advanced technologies operates three different technology business incubators, namely i-TIC Foundation IIT Hyderabad (iTIC), Centre for Healthcare (CfHE) and Fabless Chip Incubator (FabCI). The IIT Hyderabad collaboration will allow IIT Hyderabad to seek funding from the global funds operated by New Frontier Capital Management for its incubators and accelerator programs.

IIT Hyderabad collaboration will also facilitate the introduction of more Japanese and global companies to IIT Hyderabad to promote research and development, innovation and incubation.

About NFCM

New Frontier Capital Management (Hong Kong) Co., Limited was established in 2011 under the laws of Hong Kong having its principal office at Hong Kong with offices in Tokyo and Singapore. The company strategically manage and promote fund management businesses run by subsidiaries and affiliated companies, launch new funds as Co-GP and Provide consulting services on financial structuring, capitalization plans, valuation, corporate strategies and strategic business planning.

About IIT Hyderabad

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) is one of the six new Indian Institutes of Technology established by the Government of India in 2008.

In a short span of around a decade, the institute built on an imposing 570-acre campus and has been ranked among the top ten institutes for four consecutive years in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) released by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India.

The Institute was also ranked #10 in the first edition of Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) introduced this year by MHRD to systematically rank all major higher educational institutions and universities in India on indicators related to ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development’ among students and faculties.

IIT Hyderabad has close to 210 full-time faculty, 2,855 students of whom 20 per cent are women, nearly 200 state-of-the-art laboratories and five research and entrepreneurship centers. The Institute has a strong research focus with more than Rs. 500 crore of sanctioned research funding while Ph.D. scholars account for about 30 per cent of total student strength.

IITH students and faculty are at the forefront of innovation with more than 1,500 research publications and patent disclosures, 300 sponsored/consultancy projects and 50 industry collaborations. IITH has MoUs with 50 universities in the U.S., Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Europe. IITH has been pioneering change in pedagogy with fractal academic programs that atomizes course modules, encourage interdisciplinary learning spanning innovative technology, fundamental science, liberal arts and creative arts like photography, theatre and painting.

The technology was developed by Prof. Jayant Kumar Singh and his team from the Department of Chemical Engineering in IIT Kanpur.

To facilitate its widespread adoption, IIT Kanpur has signed a technology transfer MoU with ScaNxt Scientific Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

The pact was signed in the presence of Prof. Raja Angamuthu, Associate Dean of Research & Development, IIT Kanpur and Prof. Jayant Kumar Singh (Inventor).

Device

The Soil Nutrient Sensing Device is a compact, smartphone-compatible innovation that provides real-time soil nutrient analysis, addressing the critical gap in timely soil testing for Indian farmers, say sources from IIT Kanpur.

Traditionally reliant on district laboratories, farmers often face delays in receiving soil health assessments, say sources from IIT Kanpur.

Portability

Designed for portability and ease of use, the device can assess multiple soil parameters simultaneously, storing data on a cloud server, with a single charge supporting up to 250 tests, say sources from IIT Kanpur.

This pioneering device leverages Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy to deliver instant soil health insights directly to a smartphone, eliminating the need for chemical reagents and complex testing processes.

By enabling precise nutrient management, the technology has the potential to transform agriculture, enhancing crop productivity, reducing fertilizer overuse, and contributing to both improved farmer incomes and environmental sustainability, say sources from IIT Kanpur.

By providing instant, reagent-free testing with Near Infrared Spectroscopy, this technology empowers farmers to make informed decisions, optimize fertilizer use, and boost productivity, he said.

Through our collaboration with ScaNxt Scientific Technologies, we aim to transform Indian agriculture and take this pioneering innovation to global markets, supporting the vision of sustainable farming practices, he said.

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Jayant Kumar Singh and his team for this groundbreaking development, he said.

Inventor

Prof. Jayant Kumar Singh (inventor) said their development is a culmination of years of research and hard work aimed at addressing the real challenges farmers face in soil health assessment.

It’s truly gratifying to see this innovation, which offers immediate and accuratesoil analysis, now being transferred to ScaNxt Scientific Technologies for broader adoption, said Prof Jayant Kumar of IIT Kanpur.

This device not only empowers farmers with instant insights but also supports the creation of a national soil stack, aiding in better fertilizer management and promoting sustainability, he said.

I am excited to witness the positive impact it will have, both on the ground and at the policy level, as it contributes to a more sustainable and efficient agricultural landscape, he said.

Their collaboration with IIT Kanpur through the joint MoU will allow us to advance soil testing technologies further, integrating micro and secondary nutrient analysis into our BhuParikshak device, he said.

By combining NIR Spectroscopy, IoT, and AI/ML, we aim to provide farmers with even more precise and actionable data to optimize nutrient management and drive sustainable agricultural growth, he said.

Market and collaboration

The Indian soil testing equipment market, currently valued at approximately USD 114.43 million as of 2024, is set for significant expansion.

Driven by the increasing demand for efficient agricultural productivity solutions and the need for climate resilience, this market is projected to reach USD 145.83 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.08%.

This collaboration sets the stage for a transformative shift in soil health management, equipping farmers with immediate, data-driven insights and promoting sustainable agricultural practices both in India and globally.

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