Indian-American entrepreneur, philanthropist and venture capitalist Gururaj Deshpande is setting up India's biggest startup incubator in Hubballi. The 82,000-sqft facility is expected to open in September. It will have the capacity to seat over 1,200 people, which means it can accommodate at least 200 startups. 

The Hubballi programme is a significant expansion of an idea that the Deshpande Foundation -founded by Deshpande and his wife Jaishree -seeded in 2008 and which has grown to be successful in the region. Called the Sandbox, the objective was to encourage problem-solvers from the local community and allow them to come with solutions with help from the foundation in terms of management, a financial model and connections to global innovators. 

Several innovative solutions have emerged through this programme, including a software-enabled machine that helps automate the process of sorting cashew nuts according to their quality , and a technique to improve the productivity of cotton farmers.Some 50 startups are part of the Sandbox. All of them will move to the new facility once it is ready. The new facility will have a makers' lab, 3D printing lab, IoT (internet-ofthings) lab. It will focus on all sectors -from manufacturing and agriculture to IoT. Read more