The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), launched the API integration of the Startup India Portal with the Indian Science, Technology and Engineering Facilities Map (I-STEM) Portal on 6 November 2026, under the chairmanship of Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser.

Source: Press Information Bureau

The integration means DPIIT-recognised startups can now discover and seek access to existing scientific and testing facilities through the Startup India Portal, instead of hunting institution by institution for equipment they cannot afford to buy. The API automatically verifies a startup's DPIIT recognition status and links the two platforms, streamlining onboarding and facility search, the government said.

Source: KNN India

Prof. Sood said the integration is an institutional convergence beyond a digital interface, connecting startup requirements with scientific infrastructure across the country. He said it could lower research and development costs, avoid duplication of capital-intensive facilities, improve the use of publicly funded infrastructure, and help deep-tech startups across technology development, prototyping, testing and validation.

Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary in the Office of the PSA, said I-STEM promotes the sharing and optimal use of scientific infrastructure across academic and research institutions, and that the link would simplify the discovery of relevant facilities. Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary at DPIIT, said recognised startups would get better visibility of specialised research, testing and prototyping facilities and would need less independent capital investment in expensive equipment.

The government said wider onboarding of research facilities, regular updating of infrastructure information and sustained engagement with startups and host institutions will be essential to maximise the integration's reach.