Mumbai:In what is touted as India’s first large-scale event dedicated to space, science, innovation and space-inspired pop culture, an event called ‘SpaceFest India, will be held in Mumbai in February next year. Backed by the Maharashtra Government, the SpaceFest will bring together global leaders, space startups, policymakers, creators, students and enthusiasts in the space field.
Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant on Tuesday announced the upcoming Spacefest event. “The aim is to combine science, space, and entertainment while positioning Maharashtra as a global center for space tech industries and startups. The state plans to build infrastructure, provide industrial land and develop nearly 200 incubation centers under the Matrix scheme to support space tech startups,” he said.
The initiative by NODWIN Gaming, the inaugural edition of the SpaceFest will be held at Nehru Science Centre in Mumbai, with the Maharashtra Government planning to install new permanent exhibits at the venue as part of the initiative.
The festival will also feature dedicated zones celebrating sci-fi, gaming and space-inspired entertainment alongside celebrity appearances, fan engagement experiences, investor interactions, student-focus programs, hands-on workshops, hardware exhibits, aerospace technology demonstrations and networking opportunities connecting industry leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
The festival will also feature dedicated zones celebrating sci-fi, gaming and space-inspired entertainment alongside celebrity appearances, fan engagement experiences, investor interactions, student-focus programmes, hands-on workshops, hardware exhibits, aerospace technology demonstrations and networking opportunities connecting industry leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
For the purpose to encourage students to explore more in this field, a dedicated school outreach programme and college-level innovation challenge will be conducted to lead-up to the main Space event.
Samant said, “The objective of SpaceFest is to acquaint the students, youth and new entrepreneurs of Maharashtra with the opportunities available in the space sector. The government’s focus in the future is to create employment, investment and new business opportunities through this sector.”
He added that necessary infrastructure and industrial land will be made available in Maharashtra to promote the space sector. “Hubs and clusters are being developed at Shirdi, Ratnagiri and other places for the defense sector. Space and Defense Sector related industries will be given necessary support through MIDC so that there is no shortage of land. The aim of the government is to bring new opportunities for investment, foreign investment and employment in the space sector in Maharashtra,” Samant said.
State Industry Department Principal Secretary Dr. P. Anbalgan said that the government’s target is not only limited to space launch. Emphasis is being laid on developing the entire value chain of advanced manufacturing, robotics, research, engineering and space tech in Maharashtra.
