NCB-Incubation Centre Inaugurated to Propel Innovation in Cement Industry

Ballabgarh: The National Council for Cement and Building Materials-Incubation Centre (NCB-IC) was inaugurated today by Sanjiv, Joint Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The event took place in the presence of Rajendra Chamaria, Vice-Chairman of NCB and VC & MD of Star Cement Ltd., Mahendra Singhi, Strategic Advisor to Dalmia Cement (B) Ltd., and Dr. L P Singh, Director General of NCB.

During his visit, Sanjiv interacted with several startups collaborating with NCB, including LivNSense Technologies, Autoabode, AltSF, Onelement, and Bio. These startups are working on innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence for increasing the use of alternative fuels, pre-combustion technology, 3-D printing, and carbon capture and utilization.

Sanjiv commended NCB for establishing the incubation centre and shared his vision of setting up 50 incubators for the manufacturing sector, highlighting NCB-IC as a prime example. He underscored the critical role of the cement sector in India’s growth and development, noting its ongoing evolution driven by technological advancements, sustainability, and energy efficiency. “This initiative marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to foster innovation and growth in the cement industry,” he stated.

He also referenced the Government of India’s Startup India initiative, launched on January 16, 2016, aimed at building a robust ecosystem for nurturing innovation, startups, and investments. Sanjiv reported that sustained efforts have led to a significant increase in DPIIT-recognized startups, totaling 136,584 to date. He expressed confidence that these inclusive efforts would contribute to India becoming a developed nation before 2047.

The NCB-IC will provide mentoring from NCB scientists and industry experts to the incubated startups and entrepreneurs, aiding in the development and commercialization of market-ready products. The startups will have access to NCB’s advanced laboratories to support their development work.

In conjunction with the inauguration, the official web and mobile application for the upcoming 18th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials was launched. Scheduled to be held from November 27-29, 2024, at Yashobhoomi, IICC Dwarka, New Delhi, this year’s conference theme is “Cementing the Net Zero Future.”