STPI-IMAGE logs in to incubate startups

Hyderabad: IMAGE, India's first Centre of Excellence (CoE) for gaming, VFX, computer vision and AI, on Monday commenced operations and will incubate over 30 startups every year.

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) promoted IMAGE is also the first incubation centre for companies focussed on IP in gaming, VFX, artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision.

STPI-IMAGE signed MoU with five partners- TVAGA (Telangana VFX, Animation and Gaming Association), Hyderabad Angels, Hysea, IIIT- Hyderabad and TiE Hyderabad.

The CoE will nurture and promote startups and budding entrepreneurs by offering resources like mentoring, technology support, infrastructure like plug and play incubation, Mocap, CVAI labs and funding.

The 10,000-sft CoE has been set up inside the existing STPI facility. It has set up a target of incubating over 150 startups over the next five years.

A total investment of Rs 19.68 crore shall be spent over a period of five years for the CoE in addition to existing infrastructure in the STPI facility.

Telangana IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said: Hyderabad is fast emerging as the best global destination for gaming and AI landscape. That's one key reason we believe STPI chose to set up its CoE in Hyderabad, and as partners, we are fully committed to this initiative.

We have a strong eco-system, as the city of Hyderabad hosts established world-leading-gaming companies, global scale events such as IndiaJoy, The India Game Developers Conference (IGDC) plus India's biggest IMAGE towers readying to open in Hyderabad."

Omkar Rai, Director General, STPI, added that "the CoE will bring a paradigm shift in revving up research and innovation in gaming, VFX, computer vision and AI through a robust ecosystem in collaboration with tech partners, industry, investors, industry associations and government."

"Setting up STPI-IMAGE CoE is great news for the Gaming sector, especially startups as they now have access to game development, funding, foster strategic partnerships with game development companies and global gaming publishers, TVAGA will play an active role in promoting the gaming sector and support IMAGE mission," remarked Rajiv Chilaka, president, TVAGA, and Founder and CEO of Green Gold.

The startups will be mentored by a group of accomplished industry and academic pioneers, led by the Chief Mentor and aided by a strong Governing Council (GC) and Project Management Group (PMG) consisting of top technology industrialists, investors and academicians.