WEF DAVOS 2026: CANEUS, Maharashtra govt to establish world’s first Global Mid-TRL institute in Mumbai

CANEUS International, in partnership with the Maharashtra government, has announced plans to establish the world’s first dedicated Mid-Technology Readiness Level (TRL 4–6) Institute in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The partnership was formalised with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos that was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Dr Milind Pimprikar, Chairman of CANEUS International.

The new institute aims to accelerate innovation, skills development, and systems integration across aerospace, space, energy, and deep-tech sectors, and is in line with WEF 2026’s theme of responsible deployment of innovation at scale.

CM Fadnavis said that the institute near Mumbai aligned with Maharashtra’s aspirations to scale its innovation ecosystem globally.

The Mid-TRL Institute will cover a 10 million square feet integrated campus and is designed to serve as a global hub for collaboration and advanced training. CANEUS International said the facility will focus on moving innovations from laboratory breakthroughs to real-world deployment by emphasising rapid prototyping, validation, systems integration, and qualification processes.

Dr Pimprikar noted that the institute will bridge the ‘valley of death’ by advancing TRL 4–6 innovations through rapid prototyping, systems integration, validation, and flight or field trials. This will help take breakthroughs from lab to qualification and early production for real-world deployment and global competitiveness.

The institute will be developed in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers, Tier-1 suppliers, regulators, research institutions, and centres of excellence. This will ensure its training pathways align with current and future industry requirements in mission-critical sectors.

Dr Pimprikar emphasised that the institute is set to become a key player in attracting global aerospace conglomerates to India and strengthening talent pipelines for advanced manufacturing and high-reliability systems. The initiative aims to address workforce needs for the aerospace, space, energy, and deep-tech industries.

A core focus of the new centre will be addressing system integration readiness, a critical aspect for aerospace and space missions where qualification and deployment cannot be compromised. The Maharashtra government’s support aligns with its position as a top investment destination and its high Ease of Doing Business rankings for foreign direct investment inflows.