BBB’s Collaboration With Varsities to

INTERVIEW: START-UP FOCUS ‘BBB’s COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITIES TO REDUCE COST, LEAD TIME IN RESEARCH AND A LASER FOCUS ON DEFENCE PAVES WAY TO WIN MULTIPLE PROJECTS’ B

ig Bang Boom Solutions (BBBS) is one of the youngest startups in defence based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A deep-tech defence solutions integrator, the company has allied interests in manufacturing and development of indigenous technologies. BBBS was founded in 2018 by Dr. R. Shivaraman, Co-Founder and CTO and Praveen Dwarakanath, Co-Founder and CEO.

BBBS won two iDex challenges hosted by the Defence Innovation Organization (DIO) and also won several prestigious awards for its technology development. It has also entered into a co-development partnership with the Accord Aerospace and Defence (now Jasan Infra Pvt Ltd), and is co-developing a Personal Safety Drone along with a Security On-Demand logistics solutions for the Indian market. In an interview to Raksha Anirveda Editor Ajit K Thakur, BBB Solutions’ Dr R Shivaraman delves into the details of the company’s extraordinary achievement in the short span of two years. Edited excerpts:

Big Bang Boom has won the iDEX Defence India start-up challenge twice. What innovative solutions on indigenous technology development BBB presented that led to its winning streak? Kindly elaborate.

It is a well-known fact that India is the second largest arms importer in the world and only in the last few years we have realised that our adversaries are increasingly harnessing new technologies. In order to realise our dream of becoming a self-sufficient nation in the defence sector, we must minimise our dependency on defence imports, and the key to reducing this “Defence Deficit” is Indigenous Technology Development and IP Ownership, the bread and butter of Big Bang Boom Solutions.

Our success can be directly attributed to the fact that we are a lean company, and we specialise in frugal, deep tech innovations. Coming from an academic background, our team works aggressively with a number of Universities to reduce the cost, lead time in research while enabling us remain technology agnostic. This along with financial prudence, a solution architecture approach and a laser focus on defence allowed us to win multiple projects, and we hope to continue the same. Our approach and ethos are best captured as “Big Bang Boom is the Flipkart of Defence Innovation.”- a statement made by a member of Evaluation Committee, which monitors the progress of our projects.

What are the on-going projects you are working on for the Indian Armed Forces? How has been the progress so far and by when your products or services solutions will be ready for market launch?

We typically take up projects directly for the armed forces, but in some case we work on adhoc projects that have defence use cases. Our defence ministry funded projects include the flagship See through Armour and the Anti-Drone Defence System which aim at providing a highly dependable and globally acceptable military grade tech solution. Apart from this, we are also working on a number of projects such as new generation body armour, autonomous drones and healthcare solutions for use by the armed forces which are funded by internal resources. All the projects are on track and we are confident of meeting the promised product delivery schedules despite delays due to COVID. The trials for the aforementioned products are expected in thefirsthalfof2021andwearealreadyin talks with several potential buyers in both India and Abroad.

BBB is a deep-tech defence solutions integrator, and has interests in manufacturing and development of indigenous technologies. Tell us about your first successful development partnership

with the Accord Aerospace and Defense and co-development of a Personal Safety Drone along with Security OnDemand logistics solutions for the Indian market. Also shed light on your co-development partnership with AmPRO and T&T, US and association with Airfence Solutions, Israel.

Our work with Accord Aerospace and Defense (now Jasan Infra Pvt Ltd) focuses on development and manufacturing of indigenous arms and ammunition. We are working with them on setting up a manufacturing unit in association with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) based in US for production of 5.56, 7.62 calibre rounds and specialised ammunition such as armour piercing and armour piercing incendiary rounds. Apart from this, we are also setting up a research centre for design and development of indigenous pistolsandrifles.

Apart from this we also have many inhouse projects such as • HybridPersonalCombatArmour • SprayBasedWoundDressingSystem • PersonalSafetyDrone • Exoskeleton for Enhanced Physical

Abilities • SmartFencingSystem • FlyingWarden • COVID Ventilator and many more, of which the Hybrid

Personal Combat Armour has won the prestigious SKOCH Award-2020 in Defence, and the COVID ventilator won the MEITY’s Hack the Crisis India

Challenge 2020. We have also been recently awarded the prestigious

BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant for building of an exoskeleton for both patients and military use.

In order to build these products to be relevant on the global stage, a lot of skill and technical expertise is required for which we have partnerships with companies like AmPRO, Apollo Shield (Airfence), Thanos Tech., XR Labs, Lexx Technologies, etc.

Apart from iDEX grant, Big Bang Boom recently raised funds through Angel Networks. Your company has pioneered the concept of

Hybrid Personal Combat Armour won the prestigious SKOCH Award-2020

THE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF BIG BANG BOOM SOLUTIONS ARE THAT WE ARE A LEAN COMPANY, AND WE SPECIALISE IN FRUGAL AND DEEP TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS

‘Runway Infinity’. What the concept is all about? How is it going to assist your company move on a highly accelerated growth trajectory? Kindly explain.

Availability of funds is a major concern for R&D start-ups. Many promising ideas don’t see the light of the day because the right funds are not available at the right time. While there are many VCs and Investors willing to fund marketing and revenue cycles, product development cycles are usually bootstrapped.

To circumvent this, company has pioneered the concept of ‘Runway Infinity’wherewehavebeenabletobuild a business model which uses cash only for acceleration of projects with a clear path to monetisation; as opposed to a classical burn rate dedicated for R&D by moststartups,whichgivesusaninfinite runway.Insimplerterms,ourcashflows are structured in a way that we will never runoutofcash,allowingustosignificant timeandflexibilitytoachieveprofitability in the defence sector.

We have raised a Rs 11 crore round led largely by Mumbai Angels, and other Angel Networks including Keiretsu Forum, Udtara Ventures, Pitchright Ventures and other High Networth Individuals (HNIs). This comes on the back of a five crore raise (including a convertible note) a short while back and has put the company on a highly accelerated growth trajectory and is expected to bolster the company’s efforts towards setting up a high technology software vertical, and its presence internationally.

The startup accelerated the fundraise at the announcement of the COVID lockdown and closed the entire round with oversubscription by the end of it. This strategy is best explained with a metaphor – “If we are not allowed to chop wood due to a blizzard, we will spend the time sharpening our axe.”

The fundraise is not just the cash addition to our balance sheet, strategically “the addition of over 70 private investors means that we now have a set of highly intellectual, and wellplaced individuals whose combined contribution to the journey in kind, far outweighs the cash raised.”

Make in India hasn’t delivered as per expectations and we are still lagging behind as far Self-reliance in defence is concerned. What are the reasons that have blocked the result oriented development? What scope do you see in defence and aerospace sector in general, and for your company in particular in the field concerned? Your views.

India is a vast country in terms of both area and population, so for any policy or scheme announced by the government, it will undoubtedly consume a lot of effort, time and infrastructure to start bearing fruits. It OUR DEFENCE MINISTRY FUNDED PROJECTS INCLUDE THE FLAGSHIP SEE THROUGH ARMOUR AND THE ANTI-DRONE DEFENCE SYSTEM WHICH AIM AT PROVIDING A HIGHLY DEPENDABLE AND GLOBALLY ACCEPTABLE MILITARY TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION

is important to note that self-reliance in defence is a marathon, not a sprint. It is not as simple as using the Infinity Gauntlet and wishing all of the problems to disappear by just a snap of one’s fingers. This is a legacy problem, something we have created for ourselves in the 70 years since Independence, and the only way forward is that the entire age-old defence machinery needs to adapt and embrace the new approach.

Over the last few years, the defence ministry has taken several steps including the super transparent, forward looking iDEX programme which allows startups to supply critical defence technologies to the Armed Forces. Leaders such as Dr Ajay Kumar and Mr Sanjay Jaju at the helm of the DIO ensure that the organisation has a close watch on the development and also the needs of the startups.

One common challenge we face is the benchmarking with products build established international defence corporations. Product development is an iterative process and unless the defence startups are able to convert their research into small procurement orders, the technology development will stop. It is important for decision makers to remember that if the US Navy had not funded the re-design and production of the 10-seater, twin-engine F-1 flying boat designed by Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company meant for aerial sightseeing into a defence product, the Lockheed Martin’s F-35s of today would not exist. Being cognizant of this and the limitations of the technology supply chain in India will play a critical role in the success and failure of SelfReliance in Defence Initiative.

The recent announcements by the government setting an arms export target of US$5 billion in the next five years, towards increasing FDI in the defence sector, import ban on key technologies and local procurement of all governmental tenders under 200 crores would aid in the growth of the fledging defence product development sector in India. As a defence start-up such announcements coming from the government are surely a healthy sign for growth and we are super excited for the future.

NEWS ROUND UP RAFALES FORMAL INDUCTION A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN PROTECTING COUNTRY’S AIRSPACE A

mbala: It was a major step forward for the country’s defence specially in protecting its airspace as the five Rafale aircraft which arrived at Ambala Air Force Station on July 27 were inducted to the Indian Air Force’s 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ on September 10.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh presented an induction scroll to Group Captain Harkeerat Singh, the Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron of the ‘Golden Arrows’ of the Indian Air Force thus formally completing the induction of the five Rafale fighter jets into the squadron. Speaking during the induction ceremony, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said, “The Rafale aircraft along with the skills of the 17 Squadron of the ‘Golden Arrows’ will form a lethal combination and will challenge our adversaries.”

The Air Chief Marshal also lauded the government for strengthening the Indian Air Force fleet with the Rafale jets.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said, “The induction of Rafale jets into the IAF has also strengthened the Indo-French relations. We are facing new geo-strategic challenges and our two democracies are working together to resolve these challenges.”

Singh said that the induction of the jets will ensure that India is able to maintain peace in the region and ensure stability. He said that the Indian Air Force’s deliberate and swift action near the LAC displays their commitment towards national security.

INDIA TO START BIDDING PROCESS BY OCTOBER TO PROCURE 6 SUBMARINES COSTING `55,000 CR

INDIAN AIR FORCE LAUNCHES MOBILE APPLICATION ‘MY IAF’

New Delhi. In a move aimed at boosting maritime power with increasing tension with China, India is all set to launch the bidding process by next month for Rs 55,000-crore mega project to build six conventional submarines for the Indian Navy to narrow the gap with China’s growing naval prowess, government sources said. The submarines will be built in India under the much-talked-about strategic partnership model that allows domestic companies to join hands with leading foreign defence majors to produce high-end military platforms in the country and reduce import dependence. The sources said the groundwork like specifications of the submarines and other critical requirements for issuance of the RFP (request for proposal) for the mega project, named as P-75 I, has been completed by separate teams of the defence ministry and the Indian Navy. The RFP will be issued by October, they added.

New Delhi: Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, launched a mobile application ‘MY IAF’ at Air Headquarters in New Delhi on August 24 as part of Digital India initiative. The application developed in association with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) provides career related information and details for those desirous of joining the Indian Air Force (IAF).