Pune University, BARC Partner to Set Up AKRUTI Kendra for Entrepreneurs

Pune, 6th February 2026: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, to strengthen entrepreneurship and technology-driven innovation, especially with a focus on rural development.

The MoU was signed on February 4, 2026, to establish an “Advanced Knowledge and Rural Technology Implementation (AKRUTI) Kendra” at the SPPU campus. The centre will be set up under the SPPU Research Park Foundation (SPPU-RPF) and will support innovators, start-ups and young entrepreneurs.

The AKRUTI Kendra aims to bridge the technology gap between urban and rural India by making advanced, affordable and practical technologies accessible to students and grassroots innovators. BARC, which functions under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is one of the country’s premier research institutions and has developed several technologies useful for both rural and urban applications.

As part of the initiative, a range of DAE–BARC technologies will be made available at the AKRUTI Kendra for display, demonstration, training, manufacturing and marketing. In the first phase, seven selected technologies will be provided free of cost to students, innovators and start-ups associated with SPPU-RPF. In the next phase, additional products and training modules will be offered at highly concessional rates.

University officials said the collaboration will create a strong ecosystem that connects business, technology and social impact. “This MoU will open new opportunities for students, faculty members and start-ups at SPPU to turn ideas into viable enterprises,” an SPPU official said.

The agreement was signed by SPPU Vice-Chancellor Dr Suresh Gosavi and Daniel Babu P., Head of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation (TT&CD), BARC. Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Parag Kalkar, CEO and Managing Director of SPPU-RPF Dr Arvind Shaligram, AKRUTI Group Leader (TT&CD–BARC) Bharti A. Bhalerao, AKRUTI Kendra SPPU Coordinator Dr Bhavana Umrikar, Director IIL Dr Devidas Golhar, and other SPPU and SPPU-RPF officials were present at the event.

The university said the AKRUTI Kendra is expected to play a key role in nurturing entrepreneurship, particularly among students and innovators from rural backgrounds, by providing access to technology, mentorship and market linkages.