I-STEM, an initiative from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, launched V-LABS Vertically Aggregating Labs today. It has the laudable task of changing R&D in India. This is an innovative platform that links researchers, startups, and industries to a huge network of labs and equipment covering various sectors through its online portal, thereby giving information for free.

The V-LABS initiative brings down capital expenditure on advanced equipment quite substantially and prevents duplication of scarce resources in research institutions. V-LABS is a paradigm shift in the way scientific resources are allocated by painstakingly collecting and integrating data on scientific and engineering equipment in the I-STEM portal.

According to Dr. Harilal Bhaskar, Chief Operating Officer and National Coordinator of I-STEM, the key benefits of V-LABS lie in careful curation and integration of data onto the I-STEM portal for its stakeholders to efficiently locate and use equipment or labs for research, prototype development, product development, testing, and certification. This initiative does not only bring cost savings but also optimizes resource usage, facilitating a collaborative, resource-efficient research environment.

I-STEM will network one million new-age researchers to a 10,000 plus cutting-edge lab network across India by 2024. It would further support the already initiated development of national research ecosystem and build on the equal distribution and efficient utilisation of scientific resources. This would increase the ease of access to scientific equipment at an affordable price and bring in resource optimisation through data-driven insights.

V-LABS is one giant step in the commitment of I-STEM toward fostering innovation and scientific excellence across India. It aims to democratize science education and research and seeks to bridge the missing link between theoretical knowledge and practical application, thereby empowering the next generation of scientists and engineers.