Milind, a “Global citizen”, is an influential network builder connecting the “haves” and “have-nots”, and a visionary with a proven track record of transitioning innovative technologies into successful products / systems for collective safety, security and prosperity.

From next-generation micro-nano-technologies to paradigm-busting revolutionary class of Nano and Pico satellites for making space truly “affordable” and “on demand”, Milind’s initiatives have created and captured new “Disruptive Technology” markets by infusing emerging technologies to address National, Regional and Global socio-economic Needs.

Dr. Pimprikar found this niche, when he chaired Canada-US-Japan International Symposium on “Design of Space Station”, realizing the need and role of international collaboration. Later, he chaired the “Task Group” to identify and develop emerging technologies for monitoring structures in space, and subsequently established the Centre for Large Space Structures and Systems – CLS3, Canada’s first initiative to develop advanced technologies for large space structures and systems, from $2,500 seed fund and successfully steered it to $150M+ projects operation within 5 years. Milind was recognized as “Person of National Interest” by the Governor in Council of the Government of Canada.

With his next initiative, CANEUS, a network of Canada-Europe-US-Asia, created in 1999, Milind rightly envisioned the benefits of leveraging collective strength through international public/private partnerships within academia, government agencies and industries from the aerospace and energy sectors, by fostering adoption, adaptation, and commercialization of leading edge technologies, for providing timely, cost-effective and innovative solutions to stakeholders.

During 2002-3, Milind led CANEUS’s first “concept to system” efforts and raised in less than 6 weeks $800,000+ from 20 stakeholders / customers such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA, USAF, USN, etc and funded 15 end-users driven innovative best-of-the-breed MNT concepts received from 100+ proposals worldwide, e.g. MIT, Stanford, UC-Berkeley, McGill, Toronto, UCL-Belgium, TU, etc., which later evolved into $100M+ successful collaborative projects.

Over the past 15 years, CANEUS activities span 50+ countries, e.g. CANEUS MENA, CANEUS South Africa, and with the recent CANEUS India Foundation (CIF) efforts as a special purpose vehicle par excellence in providing high quality multi-mode returns to its stakeholders with a conscientious thrust on enhancing the competitiveness of Indian organizations. CIF is founded on principles of leveraging the collective strengths of Indian and international partners from academia, government agencies and industries, for providing timely, cost-effective and innovative technology solutions.

Milind has helped create many of the leading entrepreneurial initiatives including, spin-off CANEUS NPS (Nano-Pico-Satellites) Inc., and CANEUS CSSP (Collective Safety, Security and Prosperity) Nano-satellite constellation, amongst others, leveraging on the exponentially growing CANEUS collaborative projects covering Aerospace, Nanotechnology, Energy, and Education sectors.

Originating from a humble background from Pune-India, Milind has taught at several Universities worldwide, including the ISU; led Canadian Government Nanotechnology and Aerospace Trade and Technology Missions to 20+ countries, Chaired UNESCO’s two World Conferences, and counsels as Expert for several UN agencies, African Countries, EC, World Bank, amongst others, on how to utilize emerging technologies to meet socio-economic needs and accelerate innovation for capacity building in host countries.

Milind credits his late mother “Vina” to succeed in education and career “against all odds”. In 2001-2002, Milind dedicated the first CLS3-CANEUS led effort, “Vina-Sat”, formation-flying nano-satellite technology demonstrator.