The Software Technology Park of India (STPI) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has soft-launched OctaNE Centers of Excellence (CoE) Phase II with the Open Challenge Program (OCP-II). It encourages Research and Development (R & D), innovation, and entrepreneurship in the domains of graphic design, games, and entertainment, data analytics and Artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare and agritech information technology (IT) applications, and geographic information system (GIS) applications. It aims to build a comprehensive ecosystem. Physical infrastructure and support services for prototyping, development, testing, and marketing by the development of entrepreneurs in these areas. Executive Director of STPI, Dr. Omkar Rai, and Co-Secretary of MeitY Bhuvnesh Kumar have launched five Centers of Excellence (CoEs). Rai said that OctaNE will revolutionise the North-East tech startup ecosystem and facilitate them to develop breakthrough products in a variety of emerging technology areas. The whole OctaNe program involves infrastructure, Startup Innovation Zones (SIZ), and e-commerce. Kumar said that the eight CoEs will further strengthen the northeastern tech startup ecosystem under OctaNE. By launching five CoEs in Phase II, OctaNE will make a complete round. The aim of opening these CoEs is to promote new technology start-ups in the electronics and IT space, with a single comprehensive support service and to provide a robust platform. Establishing an innovation zone for start-ups to develop a culture of tinkering and innovation among students and professionals. Phase I has three CoE SIZs and technology and sector-focused e-facilitation. Internet of things (IoT) in agriculture at STPI-Guwahati, animation at STPI-Shillong, and Augmented reality (AR) or Virtual reality (VR) at Imphal have already begun on July 20, 2020. The selection and boarding of a startup are in progress. Image Source Also read: Sky is the Limit with SAP