iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology), India’s leading deep tech startup incubator, successfully concluded the first cohort of ProtoQuik Launchpad – a 30-day technology refinement and prototype acceleration initiative designed to help robotics innovations navigate critical stages of development.
iCreate successfully concluded the first cohort of ProtoQuik Launchpad, a 30-day technology refinement and prototype acceleration programme designed to help robotics startups navigate critical stages of product development.
The programme received 100+ applications from 20 states and Union Territories, including strong participation from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Following a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process, nine promising robotics startups were selected for the first cohort.
Supporting Robotics Startups
ProtoQuik Launchpad is iCreate’s flagship technology refinement programme, designed to help early-stage deep tech startups overcome the critical gap between developing a prototype and achieving product-market fit.
The programme provided startups with expert mentorship, component sourcing support, milestone planning and real-world use-case validation to help accelerate their journey towards commercial deployment.
The selected startups worked on breakthrough robotics technologies and solutions addressing challenges across sectors such as marine safety, pollution control and industrial automation.
The cohort included innovations such as:
Fire-fighting drones
Autonomous surveillance rovers
Ship-hull cleaning robots
Beach cleaning robots
Underwater inspection systems
30 Days of Full-Stack Support
Over the 30-day programme, participating startups received comprehensive support through:
Expert mentorship: Guidance from robotics entrepreneurs, domain experts and international mentors
Prototyping facilities: Access to iCreate’s prototyping labs and fabrication workshops
Industry and regulatory connect: Consultative sessions with regulators and defence organisations to identify scalable use cases
Technology support: Assistance with component sourcing, design and simulation tools through technology partners
Milestone tracking: Structured progress tracking leading to a roadmap for commercial deployment
Each cohort participant received up to INR 2 lakh worth of prototyping support. Following Demo Day, the most promising startups will be evaluated for subsequent funding from iCreate to support their journey towards commercialisation.
Connecting Startups with Industry
The ProtoQuik Launchpad Demo Day brought together key ecosystem partners and senior representatives from organisations including IIT Gandhinagar, Acxelerate India, Ansys, Startupbootcamp India, Vety and Livestock Innovation and Incubation Foundation (VLIIF), Ludhiana, and Atria University, Bengaluru.
Senior representatives from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) also presented the Udgam initiative, which aims to help innovators and entrepreneurs transform promising ideas into validated Proofs of Concept (PoCs) and advance them towards commercialisation.
Partnership with Startupbootcamp India
During the event, iCreate announced its partnership with Startupbootcamp India to foster a resilient and high-impact entrepreneurial ecosystem focused on energy transition.
The partnership will support early-stage startups through mentorship, access to strategic investments and global best practices, combining Startupbootcamp’s international network with iCreate’s expertise in accelerating startup journeys from ideation to market readiness.
Key areas of collaboration include outreach, startup selection, business growth support and seed capital enablement.
Building the Next Generation of Deep Tech Startups
ProtoQuik Launchpad forms part of iCreate’s broader mission to nurture deep tech entrepreneurship across national priority sectors.
Building on its Electric Vehicles Centre of Excellence, iCreate is expanding its focus across Mobility, Climate Tech, Health Tech and Defence Tech.
ProtoQuik Launchpad will continue as a recurring programme, with future cohorts planned around themes including Mobility, Climate Tech, Agri Tech, Smart Cities, Drones and Defence.
From Prototype to Market Readiness
ProtoQuik Launchpad provides early-stage deep tech startups with the tools, mentorship, infrastructure and industry connections needed to move promising technologies towards commercial deployment.
Through ProtoQuik Launchpad, iCreate continues to enable robotics innovators to refine prototypes, validate real-world use cases and build scalable, market-ready solutions.
Changing environment reiterating the need and importance of quick and reliable technology solutions in accordance with local needs.
