Strengthening the innovation, entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence ecosystem of Goa, the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus. The agreement facilitates the creation of an AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) at the first floor, IT Hub, Altinho-Panaji.
The MoU was exchanged by Kabir Shirgaonkar, Director, DITE&C and Prof. Suman Kundu, Director, BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus in the presence of the Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and ITE&C Minister, Rohan Khaunte at the Goa AI Conclave 2026.
Highlighting the vision behind the Goa AI Centre of Excellence, Khaunte said, “We have successfully transformed Goa’s image beyond tourism. Today, everyone is speaking about Goa’s tech, startup and AI ecosystem, as evidenced by the recent Goa AI Tech Conclave. The government is collaborating with industry and academia to bridge the gaps between skills, industry requirements and current trends. Our partnership with BITS Pilani Goa Campus directly extends our mandate under the Goa AI Policy 2026 and Goa AI Mission 2027.
By establishing the AI Centre of Excellence at the IT Hub in Panaji, we are bringing academia, state datasets and startups under one roof to solve real Goan challenges while giving our youth the platform to build world-class AI products right here in Goa.”
Under the agreement, DITE&C and BITS Pilani will collaborate across several core strategic pillars to accelerate AI adoption, research and startup incubation across the state. DITE&C will identify and share state problem statements and government datasets, specifically across tourism and hospitality, fisheries, coastal and environmental management and public health, for BITS Pilani to lead joint applied research, prototype development and pilot deployments. Furthermore, DITE&C and BITS Pilani will jointly organise state-level AI grand challenges, hackathons and capability-building programmes to train government officials and upskill local tech talent.
Leveraging BGIIES and BITS Pilani’s institutional expertise in technology, the partnership will provide AI-led startups with technical validation, mentorship, compute resources, IP guidance, and direct linkages with investor networks. BITS Pilani will also facilitate and encourage the registration of eligible startups on the Goa State Startup Portal, enabling founders to access government schemes, capital incentives and incubation pathways.
Valid for a period of three years, the MoU establishes a collaborative framework for knowledge exchange, ecosystem development, open innovation and joint funding applications to national bodies such as MeitY, the IndiaAI Mission, ANRF and DST.
By combining state policy support with the deep technical research capabilities of BITS Pilani, the Department of Information Technology, Electronics, and Communications (DITE&C), under the leadership of Rohan Khaunte, is turning its vision of making Goa an AI testbed into reality. The partnership creates learning and advancement opportunities that directly benefit citizens, startups and the youth; stated a press release.
