Thirty-one budding enterprises have received official backing under a central scheme designed to nurture innovation in the technical textiles space, according to details shared in Parliament this week.
The combined value of these ventures stands at Rs 15.40 crore, of which the Centre is contributing Rs 13.65 crore—leaving the remainder to be funded independently.
The initiative in question, known as GREAT (Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles), operates as a component of the broader National Technical Textiles Mission.
Geographically, the beneficiary companies are spread across ten states and territories. Maharashtra leads the tally with seven backed ventures, trailed by Tamil Nadu at six.
Delhi accounts for five, while Gujarat has secured four spots on the list. Uttar Pradesh follows with three approvals. Karnataka has two firms on board, and single ventures have been sanctioned in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand respectively.
Each qualifying enterprise stands to receive support of as much as Rs 50 lakh, earmarked specifically for turning early-stage research into market-ready technologies within the technical textiles domain.
The scope of funded work is notably diverse. Ventures are working on everything from fabrics embedded with smart sensors and materials engineered for high-end functional use, to textiles capable of harvesting energy.
Other projects focus on wearable devices for healthcare monitoring, composite materials built for demanding performance conditions, and eco-conscious alternatives including biodegradable fabrics and specialized textiles for medical applications.
Image courtesy: Freepik
