The Technology Development Board (TDB), a division of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) within the Government of India, has entered into an agreement with TIEA Connectors Pvt Ltd, a hardware startup based in Bengaluru. This partnership falls under the initiative “Commercialization of Indigenous Technologies through Tech Start-ups.”
TIEA Connectors, incubated at the Society for Innovation and Development (SID) located at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, has secured a commitment of ₹3.81 crore from TDB as financial support. This funding is part of the overall project cost of ₹8.19 crore for the startup’s initiative named “Commercialization of micro-electronic harsh environment connectors and terminals.”
Established in 2020 by Ajith Sasidharan and Punit Joshi, TIEA Connectors focuses on researching, developing, and producing electronic and automobile connectors that possess enhanced fire retardancy and the ability to withstand highly challenging environmental conditions.
Electronic and automobile connectors play a pivotal role in establishing electro-mechanical connections between various components such as wires, PCB boards, and more. The connector market’s future exhibits great potential, particularly in sectors like automobiles, consumer electronics, electric vehicles, medical electronics, drones, defense, and space applications.
The funded project’s objective is to develop and bring to market electronic connectors with pitches measuring 2.8 mm, 2.5 mm, and 2.54 mm, along with their corresponding terminals. TIEA Connectors’ product, which has garnered financial support from TDB, is primarily targeted at the growing niche market of electric vehicles, drones, as well as the automotive and consumer electronics sectors, among others.
At present, more than half of the connector market relies on imports. Connectors and their contact solutions, which form an integral part of wire-based Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) devices, constitute the core focus of TIEA Connectors’ research and development efforts.