DRDO's Dare to Dream scheme is for startups, individuals: Chairman Satheesh Reddy

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D, G Satheesh Reddy on Thursday spoke about the scheme, Dare to Dream, launched by DRDO. 

The scheme comprises that if an individual or a start-up comes up with an innovative idea the DRDO will screen the ideas and the top three winners will be rewarded.

The participants of the challenge need to pitch the innovative ideas, provide an executive summary of the idea, and how it would impact the future of the scientific sphere in context. This will form the basis for the evaluation of the entry.

A startup or the individual needs to provide information on how it would transform the idea into a product of utility, the resources on hand, the resources required, the timeframes, the constraints are foreseen and any other additional requirements. It would also require to inform how the innovation will benefit the Defence and Aerospace.

Speaking of ways that DRDO plans to work with startups, Reddy said that industries can take up problems and those who have innovative ideas the DRDO will help them. He added that startups can directly work on R&D and develop the systems. He added that the engineering colleges too can participate. Reddy added that through ER & IPR academic institutions can take up projects and work on it. 

Reddy asserted that the presence of technology in the future battlefield is magnanimous. He said that in defence, technology has been driving the technological growth and innovation, whether in navigation or the internet.

Addressing a webinar on the "Future Battlefield Technologies", Reddy pointed out that there are five dimensions of warfare--land, water, sea, space and cyber warfare. He spoke on the myriad forms of technology that will greatly impact its role in the future warfare.