DRDO TDF – Call for Experts
About the Initiative
Finovista, as the Programme Management Agency for the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), invites applications from domain experts to be part of a dynamic Expert Pool. This initiative supports the vision of strengthening India’s indigenous defence capabilities by enabling Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Startups to design, develop, and manufacture cutting-edge defence technologies.
Under this project, a dedicated TDF Desk is being managed by Finovista to support project management,research, branding, outreach, and stakeholder engagement on behalf of the Directorate of TDF, DRDO.Â
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About Technology Development Fund (TDF)
TDF of DRDO promulgates the development of defence and dual-use systems, subsystems, Components or technologies, for a product that is Indian Designed, Developed and manufactured (IDDM). The idea is mainly to promote Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) including Startups to develop innovative products for our forces.
Deep-Tech Expert
- Provide strategic guidance on emerging and disruptive deep technologies (e.g., quantum computing, advanced materials, blockchain, etc.).
- Evaluate feasibility of technology adoption and support R&D roadmap formulation.
- Mentor early-stage tech companies on deep-tech scaling and IP protection.
- Review and provide insights on funding proposals involving advanced technology.
- Advise on national deep-tech policy frameworks.
- Contribute to cross-domain technology integration (e.g., AI + IoT, Cyber-Physical Systems).
- Provide review inputs on ongoing project under TDF Scheme.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Expert
- Provide guidance on AI strategy development for enterprise, defense, or public sector applications.
- Evaluate AI/ML models for ethical compliance, robustness, and performance.
- Guide data governance and responsible AI implementation practices.
- Support AI innovation pipelines through mentorship and capability development.
- Collaborate with domain specific AI teams (e.g., healthcare, surveillance, logistics).
- Provide technical reviews of AI projects and grant proposals.
- Advise on AI policy and national AI mission implementation.Â
Legal Expert
- Offer legal counsel on regulatory compliance, IP rights, cyber law, and tech policy.
- Assist in drafting contracts, NDAs, MoUs, and collaboration agreements.
- Evaluate legal risks in projects involving sensitive technologies or defence.
- Provide expert opinion on data privacy laws and cross-border data sharing.
- Advise on litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution in tech-related domains.
- Conduct training on legal frameworks for tech innovation and startups.
- Support policy formulation at the intersection of law, AI, and emerging tech.Â
Audit and Finance Expert
- Advise on financial structuring, budgeting, and cost optimization for tech programs.
- Perform audits for compliance with funding agency, national, or defense standards.
- Conduct due diligence for investment in high-tech startups or ventures.
- Review financial models and risk management frameworksSupport financial governance and integrity in government tech initiatives.
- Guide financial reporting for cross-border or grant-supported projects.
- Provide inputs for audit committees and financial oversight panels.
Space Technology Expert
- Provide guidance on design, testing, and deployment of satellite systems and payloads.
- Advise on mission planning, launch services, and ground station operations.
- Support development of space tech ecosystems (startups, academia, InSpace, DSP etc.).
- Guide policy on commercial space ventures and export control compliance.
- Mentor space tech innovators and review ISRO/IN-SPACe collaborations.
- Review technological readiness and support capacity-building in space science.
Counter-UAS Expert
- Assess threats from rogue or hostile drone operations and develop countermeasures.
- Guide deployment of counter drone systems using RF jamming, kinetic, or directed energy methods.
- Provide intelligence-led risk assessment of critical infrastructure vulnerability.
- Advise on counter-drone training, incident response, and operational protocols.
- Work with defence and aviation stakeholders on airspace safety.
- Contribute to standard setting and national counter-drone policies.
Smart Materials/ Meta Materials Expert
- Guide R&D on smart and meta-materials for defence and dual-use applications.
- Evaluate proposals involving advanced functional materials.
- Advise on TRL assessment and material integration in systems.
- Support prototyping and scaling of innovative material solutions.
- Enable cross-domain applications (e.g., stealth, sensors, energy).
- Contribute to policy, indigenization, and material innovation strategy.Â
UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Expert
- Offer expert insight on drone system design, development, and operational protocols.
- Support compliance with DGCA/Ministry of Civil Aviation norms and regulations.
- Guide integration of UAS in sectors like agriculture, logistics, defense, and surveillance.
- Advise on emerging trends in drone swarming, BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight), etc.
- Mentor drone startups and innovators for scale and compliance. Provide input on test-bed projects and real-world deployment evaluations.