IIT Bombay to Host Bharat Innovates 2026: 137 Deep-Tech Startups, Global Investors, and a Vision for India’s Innovation Future
On March 21 and 22, 2026, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay will transform into the epicenter of India’s deep-tech ambitions. The institute is set to host the Bharat Innovates 2026 Deep-Tech Pre-Summit, a landmark two-day event that will bring together 137 of the most promising deep-tech startups from across the country, along with investors, policymakers, and academic leaders .
This is not just another startup event. It is the culmination of a rigorous, multi-stage national selection process that began with over 3,000 applications, narrowed down through theme-specific bootcamps and a National Basecamp at IIT Gandhinagar . The startups chosen represent the very best of India’s research-backed innovation, spanning 13 critical technology themes .
Bharat Innovates 2026 is an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, with strategic guidance from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) . It is designed to do what no single institution could do alone: identify, mentor, and showcase India’s top 100 deep-tech ventures to the world . The IIT Bombay Pre-Summit serves as the final domestic preparation stage before these selected teams travel to Nice, France, from June 14-16, 2026, for the Global Innovation Showcase under the India-France Year of Innovation .
The Pre-Summit: What to Expect
The two-day event at IIT Bombay’s Research Park is structured to maximize direct engagement between startups and the ecosystem’s most influential players .
A Gathering of the Nation’s Best
The 137 shortlisted startups were selected from over 3,000 applications received from across the country, marking one of the largest curated platforms for research-led innovation in India . They represent a diverse range of innovations at various stages of development, from early research (Technology Readiness Levels 3–4) to near-commercial solutions (TRL 8–9) .
These ventures will be mentored and supported under the Bharat Innovates programme before being introduced to global stakeholders later this year . The selection process involved experts from the IIT and IISc ecosystems, whose incubators, faculty, and mentors were instrumental in evaluating and guiding startups through the rigorous process .
Distinguished Dignitaries
The summit will be inaugurated by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) .
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will also be present, alongside senior government officials including:
- Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education
- Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology
- Dr. Rajesh Sudhir Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology
- Dr. K Radhakrishnan, Chairperson of the Board of Governors at IIT Bombay
Speaking ahead of the event, IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare emphasized that the summit reflects the collective strength of India’s premier academic and research institutions in nurturing deep-tech innovation. He highlighted the role of IITs and IISc, whose incubators, faculty, and mentors were instrumental in evaluating and guiding start-ups through the selection process .
A Dynamic Program
The agenda is packed with opportunities for engagement and deal-making :
- Inaugural Ceremony & Keynote Address: Setting the stage for India’s deep-tech ambitions.
- Startup Exhibition: Live stalls where the 137 shortlisted startups will showcase their cutting-edge innovations to industry leaders, academia, incubators, and curated investors.
- Pitch Sessions: Startups will present their technologies and business models to leading investors and industry stakeholders in closed-door sessions across multiple meeting rooms. These sessions are expected to facilitate funding opportunities and strategic partnerships .
- Reverse Pitch Sessions: In a unique format, investors and industry leaders will outline priority sectors and specific R&D challenges, aligning startup innovation with real-world industry needs .
- Panel Discussions and Networking: Fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among all participants.
The 13 Thematic Areas
The innovations on display span 13 strategic technology domains, each led by a premier Indian institution :
| Thematic Area | Lead Institution |
|---|---|
| Advanced Computing (AI, Quantum, Supercomputing) | IIT Bombay |
| Advanced Materials, Rare-Earth & Critical Minerals | IIT Hyderabad |
| Energy, Sustainability & Climate Change | IIT Delhi |
| Next-Gen Communications | IIT Madras |
| Semiconductors | To be announced |
| Healthcare MedTech & Biotechnology | To be announced |
| Space & Defence | To be announced |
| Agri & Food Technologies | To be announced |
| Manufacturing & Industry 4.0 | To be announced |
| Disaster Management & Resilient Infrastructure | To be announced |
| Blue Economy | To be announced |
| Smart Cities & Mobility | To be announced |
| Biotechnology | To be announced |
These sectors represent areas where deep-tech solutions are increasingly seen as critical to economic growth and strategic capability .
The Bigger Picture: From IIT Bombay to the World
The IIT Bombay Pre-Summit is a crucial stepping stone toward a much larger goal: positioning India as a global leader in deep-tech innovation.
The Global Innovation Showcase in France
The ultimate destination for the top 100 ventures is the Global Innovation Showcase in Nice, France, from June 14-16, 2026 . This event, part of the India-France Year of Innovation, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to France . It will provide a global platform for Indian deep-tech ventures to present their innovations to industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and potential collaborators from around the world .
A Year of Rigorous Preparation
The journey to France has been a structured, nine-month process :
- August-November 2025: National Call for Applications
- December 2025: National Basecamp at IIT Gandhinagar, where over 400 shortlisted startups pitched to expert juries
- January 2026: Second shortlist announcement
- March 2026: Deep-Tech Pre-Summit at IIT Bombay
- June 2026: Global Innovation Showcase in Nice, France
Government Support and Vision
The government’s commitment to deep-tech is further underscored by recent policy announcements. At the FICCI Mercedes-Benz India Bharat Innovation & Business Ideas Challenge Programme, Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, announced a Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds for Startups, noting that when Startup India was launched in 2016, only around 400 start-ups were formally recognized. The new corpus reflects the scale and maturity India’s innovation landscape has achieved .
Why This Matters for India’s Startup Ecosystem
The Bharat Innovates 2026 initiative is significant on multiple levels:
1. Bridging the Gap Between Lab and Market
Deep-tech startups face unique challenges—long R&D cycles, high capital requirements, and complex commercialization paths. Bharat Innovates provides the mentorship, investor access, and global exposure needed to bridge this gap .
2. Showcasing India’s R&D Prowess
For too long, India’s innovation story was dominated by consumer tech. Bharat Innovates shines a spotlight on the country’s deep scientific capabilities, from AI and semiconductors to space and biotech .
3. Fostering Academia-Industry-Government Collaboration
The initiative brings together the Ministry of Education, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, premier academic institutions like IIT Bombay and IIT Gandhinagar, and private investors—creating a powerful model for ecosystem development .
4. Preparing for Global Competitiveness
By taking the top 100 ventures to France, Bharat Innovates is preparing Indian startups to compete on the global stage, access international markets, and attract foreign investment .
The Road Ahead
As the 137 startups gather at IIT Bombay this weekend, they carry with them the hopes of a nation eager to establish itself as a deep-tech powerhouse. The outcomes of this summit—the connections made, the deals signed, the partnerships formed—will shape the final delegation for the International Showcase in France .
The journey from the labs of IITs and IISc to the global stage in Nice is a testament to the growing maturity of India’s innovation ecosystem. It signals that India is ready to move beyond being a consumer of technology to becoming a creator of cutting-edge solutions for the world.
The Final Word
Bharat Innovates 2026 at IIT Bombay is more than a summit. It is a declaration of intent. It is a statement that India’s brightest minds are solving the hardest problems—in AI, in healthcare, in energy, in space—and that the world is ready to take notice.
For the 137 startups showcasing their innovations, this is their moment. For the investors and policymakers in attendance, this is an opportunity to shape the future. And for India, this is the beginning of a new chapter in its journey toward becoming a global deep-tech leader.
