Bhubaneswar’s proposed artificial intelligence Centre of Excellence has received in-principle approval from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, clearing the way for a dedicated facility focused on applied AI, startup incubation and deployment of technology solutions in Odisha.
The Software Technology Parks of India, an autonomous society under MeitY, will implement the centre. STPI has formally confirmed Hyderabad-based Blue Cloud Softech Solutions as its industry partner and asked the company to begin the process of executing a definitive memorandum of understanding.
Under the proposed MoU, Blue Cloud will contribute Rs 4 crore towards developing the centre and provide industry leadership, mentorship and strategic support to startups incubated there. The company said it would also make its AI platforms, engineering talent, and enterprise and government customer network available to participating startups.
STPI has earmarked approximately 10,000 square feet of built-up space, along with supporting infrastructure, exclusively for establishing and operating the facility. The centre is being developed under the IndiaAI Mission, the Centre’s national programme for building sovereign AI compute infrastructure and a wider AI innovation ecosystem.
The proposed AI Centre of Excellence is intended to operate beyond research and development. Its mandate includes startup incubation, capacity building and deployment of responsible and scalable AI solutions. Initial application areas are expected to include healthcare, governance, disaster management, education and industrial use cases.
The centre will also focus on sectors linked to Odisha’s geography and development priorities, including oceanography, coastal fisheries, tidal and ocean energy, and women and child development. These areas could give the Bhubaneswar facility a distinct operational focus by connecting AI development with public services, coastal livelihoods and the state’s ocean economy.
Blue Cloud group chairman Tejesh Kumar Kodali said the company’s platforms could help startups move from proof-of-concept development to large-scale deployment in government and enterprise environments. He said the company would bring its platforms, engineers and mentorship to startups working through the centre.
Blue Cloud’s existing portfolio includes BluHealth, a camera-based non-invasive vital-sign screening platform for healthcare; Blura SAGA and SOCEYE for public safety and governance applications; and Access Genie, described by the company as a sovereign AI and 5G digital infrastructure stack.
Vinod Babu Bollikonda, managing director and group chief executive officer of Blue Cloud, said the centre was a natural extension of the company’s work under the IndiaAI Mission and its engagement with governments in India and Africa. He added that the company expected to move quickly to execute the definitive MoU with STPI so that the centre could begin operations.
The next formal milestone is the execution of the definitive agreement between STPI and Blue Cloud. The supplied announcement does not specify an operational launch date, the final governance structure, or the mechanism through which startups will be selected and supported.
