Microsoft and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) made an announcement on Thursday that they would be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to encourage and develop Indian start-ups in the space technology (space-tech) industry. In addition, the MoU aims to accelerate these start-ups' growth by providing them with technical tools, platforms, market assistance, and mentoring that would enable them to scale and become enterprise-ready.

ISRO's collaboration with Microsoft will greatly benefit space tech startups in their analysis and processing of vast amounts of satellite data for various applications, using cutting-edge methods like AI, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning, said S. Somanath, chairman of ISRO, in response to this development.

This programme is a part of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub campaign, which was launched to help the domestic space technology ecosystem and was co-founded by Bill Gates. The initiative offers creators of space-tech start-ups free access to tools and resources at every level of their development, from the ideation stage to becoming a unicorn.

Microsoft India President Anant Maheshwari stated that the company is "truly dedicated" to supporting the nation's space tech entrepreneurs "to foster cutting-edge innovation and expedite scientific discovery." Additionally, he stated that "Indian space tech firms are significantly expanding the nation's space capabilities through the power of technology. We are excited to work with ISRO to hasten this change in what is possible in space.

Microsoft will offer mentorship help to the entrepreneurs working in this field in addition to providing access to technology. This support will include everything from space engineering to cloud technologies, product and design, funding, and sales and marketing. Additionally, Microsoft and ISRO will provide thought leadership and knowledge-sharing sessions with experts from the space industry for the start-ups.