DAVOS, SWITZERLAND – In a landmark move at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026, CANEUS International and the Government of Maharashtra have announced a partnership to establish the world’s first dedicated Mid-TRL (Technology Readiness Level 4–6) Innovation Acceleration and Skilling Institute.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Davos by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, and Dr. Milind Pimprikar, Chairman of CANEUS International.
The institute, to be located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), will focus on advancing frontier technologies in Aerospace, Space, Energy, and Deeptech. By focusing on Mid-TRL levels 4–6, the facility aims to bridge the "valley of death"—the difficult transition where innovations move from laboratory breakthroughs to real-world qualification and production.
'Maharashtra is well equipped and proud to partner with CANEUS International to pioneer the creation of innovation centres across dynamic sectors,' said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He noted that the project aligns with the state’s goal to scale its innovation ecosystem globally and supports the "Viksit Maharashtra 2047" vision to become a trillion-dollar economy.
The proposed institute will be housed within an integrated ecosystem spanning 10 million square feet. Key features of the project include:
Rapid Prototyping & Validation: Facilities for systems integration, flight/field trials, and early production.
Global Skilling Engine: Developed alongside OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to ensure workforce training meets mission-critical industry standards.
System Integration Readiness: Addressing the global gap in mission reliability for aerospace and space sectors.
Dr. Milind Pimprikar described the institute as a 'game changer' that will act as a magnet for global aerospace conglomerates. 'This initiative will strengthen talent pipelines for advanced manufacturing and high-reliability systems,' Dr. Pimprikar stated, expressing appreciation for the Maharashtra government’s support and its high "Ease of Doing Business" ranking.
The partnership aligns with the Maharashtra Industries, Investment & Services Policy (MIISP) 2025, emphasizing public–private partnerships (PPP) to create demand-driven training and strengthen institutional capacity in strategic sectors.