This centre is also the first of its kind for software professionals in the country. The brainchild of the Software Technology Parks of India company in Pune with active support from the city's Mahratta Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the incubation centre is slated to be operational in a month's time.

Space for the centre is provided by the MCCI at its premises on Tilak Road, which is in the heart of the city. The STPI will bring in the IT-related infrastructure, communication links and administrative back-up. It has estimated a cost of Rs 50 lakh for the software and hardware. Funding for some of the non-computer hardware is being provided by the SIDBI.

Companies operating under the STPI jurisdiction in Pune whichare around 50 in number account for exports worth Rs 254 crore during 1997-98 and the target for this year is Rs 500 crores. One way of achieving this target is by attracting more players to the software exports business. The STPI believes that the incubation centre will play a role in attracting more newcomers to this business. The centre will be designed to cater to the needs of two segments.

The first being software professionals from abroad interested in setting up shop in India and second, the domestic small and medium enterprises that want to enter the software export business.

Sushil K Gupta, director & CEO, STPI, Pune states that the centre could be used by software professionals and technocrats returning from abroad. Some of them come with projects in hand but it takes at least six months to find a place, complete formalities and set up a company. Such persons or companies could start their work from the incubation centre while simultaneously creating their set up so that there is no wastage oftime, which was one of the most critical factors in software export. Six months is a long time in the IT industry and Gupta hopes that people will use his organisation to execute their orders from the centre and not lose out on business. Apart from overseas investors the intention is also to promote domestic start-ups. The entrepreneur does not need to make any investments or create infrastructure: instead they will use the space and facilities provided by the incubation centre to start their business.

Explains Gupta, "People have the technological skills but do not take the plunge fearing failure or losses. In the incubation centre there will be no risk of losing investment as the entrepreneurs will bring in only manpower and skill to the centre." This, he hopes, will encourage more people to enter the business. Apart from this the centre will also help create confidence in people abroad who outsource their business to Indian software outfits. "The centre will inspire confidence overseas in the ability ofthe Indian company/ professional to deliver and prove its credentials and bring in further business in future."

In a month's time all the data communciation systems will be in place and the centre should become operational. In the coming fortnight, a section of the STPI staff will shift to the fourth floor of the MCCI building where to begin with there will be a 1000 sq ft area earmarked for the incubation centre. This will be equipped with 18 terminals. Clients will have the options of hiring two, three or four terminals according to their requirement and these will be networked with a virtual LAN environment. High speed data communication facility will be provided through 64 kb lines. In addition, there will be UPS, DG sets, telephone fax and internet connectivity.

While all these common services will be shared by everyone, users will be charged on the basis of terminals used. This facility can be accessed for a limited period of six months to one year and will not be allowed to become a permanentbase. As of now the project is being implemented on a small scale. "If the concept is successful we will go in for a bigger project," says Gupta.