In our pursuit of technological excellence and the continuous improvement of our projects, a need was recognized for development of a comprehensive tool to assess the readiness levels of technology and manufacturing processes. The task to create the TRL Calculator was ignited by a collective recognition of the pressing need for a robust tool to assess Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) for industry projects. This initiative took flight through the concerted efforts of experts from industry, academia, and research labs, leveraging our internal competence and multidisciplinary knowledge base. To meet these needs, a dedicated multidisciplinary team, consisting of experts in technology, project management, and subject matter, was convened within CII. We initiated the development of the TRL/MRL assessment tool by leveraging the collective knowledge and expertise of the members. Through rigorous internal discussions, brainstorming sessions, and collaborative efforts, the first draft framework of the tool is being presented that clearly defines the stages of readiness, incorporates best practices, and aligns with the standard requirements. During the early phases of development, we have established the core structure, questionnaire and features of the tool, ensuring that it would serve as a user-friendly and effective solution for assessing technology readiness. The outcome of this exercise of a comprehensive set of questionnaires for assessing the technology readiness of the technology being developed in the industry. The thoroughly revised and refined Version 2 has already been presented to the PSA.
Projects
TRL project
Women in STEM initiative: Add below brief intro
CII is working on a Mission to Enhance Gender Equality in STEM Workforce in India. Our aspiration is to enable complete equality, i.e., a minimum of 50% Women in STEM in India by 2047, with an interim milestone of 35% Women in STEM by 2030. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) play a pivotal role in driving economic growth and societal development, making gender equality in these fields imperative. The underrepresentation of women in STEM careers calls for concerted efforts from the government, industry, and academia to create an inclusive environment. Recognizing the need for a more diverse workforce, CII launched its second compendium on Women in STEM, building on the success of the first edition. This compendium not only celebrates the achievements of women in STEM but also serves as an inspiration for the next generation, emphasizing their potential as equal contributors to sustainable societal growth. The report explores impactful initiatives by organizations dedicated to promoting women in STEM, highlighting their crucial role in fostering inclusion, and equity, and breaking down historical barriers. CII expresses gratitude to these organizations for their unwavering commitment to reshaping the narrative of women in STEM, emphasizing the transformative power of collaboration and diversity in shaping a future of abundant opportunities and dismantling barriers.
Advanced Materials Initiative
Advanced Materials have the power to drive technological innovation and are critical as they have applications across all the technology verticals from defence to space. Materials science is one of the most influential innovation moats for sustainable and resilient socio-economic growth. Advanced Materials have applications across myriad sectors – from agriculture to transportation & from defence to space. Therefore, materials science should be an integral part of India’s innovation strategy to fuel sectoral advancement that can drive the next era of economic growth. With this as a background, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is on a mission to launch Advanced Materials as a movement across the nation that envisages to enable India take strategic initiatives towards technology leadership. With this in view and under the aegis of CII National Mission on Technology, Innovation and Research, a task force on Advanced Materials was formed in 2022. CII’ Task Force on Advanced Materials is led by Dr. Debashish Bhattacharjee, Vice President, Technology & R&D, Tata Steel. The Task Force is led by experts from industry and academia and focusses on materials, like Titanium, Biomaterials, Urban Mining, Composites, Rare Earths Elements, Advanced Ceramics and Graphene. By the group - CII's Thought Leadership Report on Advanced Materials was also unveiled at CII Advanced Materials Summit . The report has been prepared by f an elite group of experts focussing on seven Advanced materials: Titanium, Biomaterials, Urban Mining, Composites, Rare Earths Elements, Advanced Ceramics and Graphene. The report features the following details about each material: Background, strategic importance of the material, Indian scenario, gap areas, technology frontiers, role of the stakeholders such as, Government, Academia, Industry and Research Institutes and Short, medium, and long Recommendations. Recently, CII also led a delegation on Advanced Materials to UK and met Indian High Commissioner to UK during the visit. The delegation also forged some useful partnerships and collaborations with Manchester University, National Composites Centre, UK, and Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry. Also, CII has been closely engaged with the office of NSA on various sectors under i-CET and one of the subject is Advance Materials. A detailed report and multiple stakeholder interactions have been conducted to come up with recommendations to NSA
Genomics
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has recently revamped its National Task Force on Genomics within the broader context of Science and Data. The ongoing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and genome-related diseases have emphasized the critical importance of genomics, not just in addressing current crises but also in fortifying our future readiness. The main aim of this Task Force is to identify key gaps areas in genomics, explore potential opportunities, and delineate projects and focus areas for collaborative initiatives. Marking a significant milestone, the first meeting of the CII National Task Force on Genomics took place successfully on October 31, 2023, at IISC Bengaluru. Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President, CII, Chairman, Axilor Ventures & Co-Founder, Infosys & Chairman, CII National Task Force on Genomics, shared his ambitious insights on positioning India as a Global Leader in Genomics. Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary of DBT, delivered a special address, emphasizing the potential areas of collaboration between the Research labs, Industry and Government to leverage opportunities for innovation in genomics. The meeting witnessed the participation of esteemed members from research institutes, industry, and government. It concluded with a call to action, urging members to generate ideas such as projects, training programs, capacity-building initiatives, database sharing, facilities/services/equipment collaboration in genomics, and the formulation of policy recommendations and guidelines.
Project on Public Funded R&D Organisations
NITI Aayog constituted a Task force headed by Professor Goverdhan Mehta, Chairman, National Accreditation Board of Education & Training, Quality Council of India & Chairman of Task Force, Quality Council of India with members drawn from leading scientific institutions and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to devise the framework for assessment of innovation excellence indicators of public funded R&D institutions.
CII – TDB Project on Signature Companies & Technologies funded by Technology Development Board for Commercialization.
This report features some of the compelling contributions from Technology Development Board (TDB) in commercialization of home- grown technologies. It also presents successful case studies to showcase the impact of TDB support during the past years in promoting the techpreneuer ecosystem in the country.
Global Innovation Index
It is in this pursuit that the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) initiated its innovation initiatives about four decades ago. Working in close partnership with the Government, CII’s endeavour has been to inspire the Indian Industry to recognize and embrace innovation. As the founding knowledge partner of the Global Innovation Index (GII), CII is proud to be an integral part of India's journey towards an innovation driven knowledge economy. Over the years, GII has evolved into a valuable benchmarking tool encouraging nations to leverage innovation for economic prosperity and societal benefits good.