Goa State Innovation Council (GSInC)

The Goa State Innovation Council (GSInC) operates as an autonomous body under the Department of Science & Technology & Waste Management, Government of Goa. Its mandate is to cultivate a culture of innovation, science, and entrepreneurship within the state. While the Goa Startup Mission manages policy implementation for registered startups, GSInC concentrates on the upstream innovation pipeline—identifying ideas, nurturing early innovators, and recognising scientists and entrepreneurs who convert research into practical applications.

GSInC runs several programmes to support this mission. The Virtual Innovation Register (VIR) is a public platform for innovators of all ages to log their ideas and connect with mentors, investors, and support services, serving as Goa's central hub for early-stage discovery. The Think Design Prototyping Workshops provide hands-on access to advanced fabrication tools—including 3D printers, laser cutters, drones, AR/VR equipment, and IoT platforms—at its Rapid Prototyping Lab. Innovation Bootcamps, conducted with educational institutions such as Don Bosco College of Engineering via SEEDS, train participants in design thinking and rapid prototyping. An Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Toolkit covers trademarks, patents, copyrights, and geographical indications to help innovators protect their work.

Recognition and financial support form the other pillars of GSInC's work. The Goa Young Innovators Award highlights outstanding projects by young Goans, while the Goa Rajya Vidnyanik Puraskar (GRVP) is an annual state science award in three categories—Innovation, Environment, and Societal Impact—each with a cash prize of ₹2 lakh. GSInC also implements government-backed funding for pre-commercialisation work, covering prototyping costs, patent filing expenses, and early-stage development grants, with amounts varying by programme cycle and DST budget allocation. Programmes target students, researchers, and early-stage innovators in Goa; the VIR is open to anyone with an innovation concept connected to the state, and GRVP is open to all Goan innovators and scientists.