India’s largest startup incubator center to be launched in Hubballi

Gururaj Deshpande, Indian-American entrepreneur, philanthropist and venture capitalist, is setting up India’s largest startup incubator center in Hubballi, Karnataka. The 82,000 square facility is expected to have a capacity to seat over 1,200 people, and is expected to get operational by September’17. The incubator center can house ~200 startups. The current largest center in the country is T-Hub in Telangana, housed in a 70,000 square feet building.

“The new facility will have a makers’ lab, 3D printing lab, IoT (internet-ofthings) lab. It will focus on all sectors -from manufacturing and agriculture to IoT,” said Deshpande Foundation CEO Naveen Jha.

Mr. Deshpande started with this idea of startup incubator in 2008 called “Sandbox” with the objective to encourage problem-solvers from the local community and allow them to come with solutions with help from the foundation in terms of management, a financial model and connections to global innovators. Several innovative solutions have emerged through this program, including a software-enabled machine that helps automate the process of sorting cashew nuts according to their quality, and a technique to improve the productivity of cotton farmers. Some 50 startups are part of the Sandbox. All of them will move to the new facility once it is ready.