MSMEs to get a new platform UDYAM 4.0

AtmaNirbhar Bharat is becoming a new norm. Post lockdown there was a big fear how this sector will sustain the massive supply chain and resource challenges, but we have demonstrated how large our domestic consumption is. The PMI for the manufacturing sector has gone to a record high of 56.4 which gives a clear indication of expansion. This is even more comforting considering the challenges we had around availability of skilled workforce and raw materials.

Enterprises whether large or small expressed strong desire to look for solutions that can help in producing more with less resources and cost. While we are moving in the right direction, this is just a first step towards building smarter factories. For manufacturing enterprises, especially for MSMEs, huge skills gaps in digital technologies, availability of budgets to deploy new solutions and limited access to solution providers. NASSCOM CoE - IoT & AI has taken a lead in addressing this issue by creating two new platforms, FUSION 4.0 and Udyam 4.0

“FUSION 4.0 is a Forum Uniting Start-ups & Industries on New technologies that aims to drive innovation in large manufacturing enterprises by leveraging customized solutions from deeptech startups. As part of this NASSCOM CoE started Manufacturing Innovation Challenge (MIC) in 2020 in which problem statements are taken from large enterprises and given to matured startups for coming up with an approach to solve. Two challenges have been completed in the last six months in which nine use cases were nominated from JK Lakshmi Cements, Bayer Cropscience, Tata Chemicals, Grasim, CEAT Tyres, Thermax, Mother Dairy and Minda Group. 200+ startups participated and went through multiple rounds of evaluation process during which they were mentored by technical experts from industry and IIT,” says Amit Saluja, Sr. Director & Vertical Head, Manufacturing, NASSCOM Center of Excellence.

“Jury comprising of senior leaders from manufacturing companies evaluated their technology proposal to pick the winners. These start-ups are now working with sponsoring companies to implement proposed solutions. This is a win-win strategy as it is helping enterprises to build customized solutions for their typical challenges and for start-ups it’s a dream opportunity to work on paid projects from industry leaders. MIC has become a new benchmark in the industry startup collaboration and NASSCOM CoE plans to run these challenges quarterly,” adds Saluja.

Encouraged by the huge success of MIC, NASSCOM CoE is rolling out a new platform UDYAM 4.0, for the MSMEs which is the sector that needs most help considering low level of awareness on digital technology and budget constraints. Theme for this platform is Nayi DISHA, which means Digital Innovative Solutions Helping Atma Nirbharta. Through this program NASSCOM CoE will build an ecosystem for the manufacturing MSMEs to collaborate with Technology MSMEs (Deeptech Start-ups) in adopting low cost and easy to deploy digital solutions.

Udyam 4.0 will get launched through a virtual conference planned on 29th Jan where MSMEs will talk about their challenges and startups will showcase solutions that can help improve productivity, efficiency and safety in manufacturing plants. The solutions that will be demonstrated will be around condition monitoring of plant assets, worker health & safety, AR & VR based remote assisted operations and training, smart energy management, Workflow automation to improve quality and real time material tracking for supply chain management.

“Together FUSION 4.0 and Udyam 4.0 have huge potential to transform manufacturing and also make India Industry 4.0 hub globally. NASSCOM CoE is also working on plans to bring up Smart Manufacturing Competency Center (SMCC) that will again be First-Of-A-Kind platform to showcase digital solutions. Solution providers comprising of technology companies and startups will demonstrate their success stories at SMCC to enable manufacturing leaders to see digital solutions live in action. We need to make these platforms successful by having Large &MSMEs leaders along with solution providers being part of this ecosystem that provides a Nayi DISHA to build an Atmanirbhar Bharat,” says Saluja.