New-age techies aspiring to be entrepreneurs working in Data Analytics (Big Data), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Audio Visual Gaming (AVG) have a new address to folk too. Early June, the Twitter handle of Digital India announced that the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) has opened the doors to Neuron, its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Mohali, Punjab.

The 33,0000 sq ft CoE will offer all the needs of a startup to help kick start a viable entrepreneurial idea from infrastructural support in its 500 plug and play seats to funding, including seed capital. According to experts, the lack of an investor ecosystem, especially funding, mentorship and industry involvement are major impediments that startups face. Neuron is trying to address these gaps by providing mentoring, industry connect, market access, networking and funding access, access to STPI Mohali Data Centre and high-speed Internet access. 

Neuron plans to incubate 50 startups each year in the fields of Big Data, AI, IoT and AVG. 

The centre is set up in collaboration with Govt. of Punjab, ISB-Mohali, PTU and MeitY. The centre is inviting start-ups that do not exceed Rs 100 crore in earnings and is working towards innovation, development or improvement of products, processes or services or if it is a scalable business model with high potential of employment generation or wealth creation.

Neuron is the sixth CoE by STPI. The existing five are in Chennai, Bhubaneswar (two), Bengaluru and Pune.