Mumbai, 22^nd March 2026

Union Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the concluding session of Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre Summit at IIT Bombay, today.

On the sidelines of the pre-summit , around 175 investors and industry leaders participated in a roundtable chaired by the Union Education Minister. He also interacted with innovators across diverse sectors including, Energy, Climate & Sustainability, Semiconductors, Space & Defence, Healthcare & MedTech, Advanced Computing, Biotechnology, Mobility & Smart Cities and Industry 4.0, showcasing cutting-edge, research-driven solutions, during a walkthrough of the exhibition stalls and IIT pavilion showcasing institutional innovations.

The Minister participated in a round-table discussions with investors and academia. He said that as a precursor to Bharat Innovates 2026 to be organised in Nice, France, today’s brainstorming session centred on advancing deep-tech innovation, strengthening industry–academia partnerships, and reinforcing the startup ecosystem. He underscored the need for sustained investment in emerging ventures to enable scale, encourage innovation and support research-led entrepreneurship.

He further stated that, Bharat Innovates 2026, being led by the Ministry of Education, aims to carry R&D-driven innovations from every corner of the country to the global stage, showcasing cutting-edge technologies while fostering meaningful collaboration, unlocking investment opportunities and building enduring global partnerships.

The closing ceremony was also attended by Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, Chairperson, Board of Governors of IIT Bombay and former Chairman ISRO; Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education; Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology; and Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director, IIT Bombay.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pradhan said that Bharat Innovates is a testament to India’s growing strength as a global innovation hub. He highlighted that the participation of thousands of startups and showcasing of cutting-edge technologies reflect the vibrancy and depth of India’s innovation ecosystem.

He observed that India is uniquely positioned to develop solutions not just for itself, but also for the world, especially Global South and countries seeking cost-effective and scalable innovations. He added that Bharat Innovates as a platform enables the convergence of ideas, talent and resources, thereby accelerating the pace of innovation.

Shri Pradhan reiterated the Government’s commitment to supporting innovators through policy support, institutional collaboration and an enabling environment. He emphasized that innovation must move from labs to markets to create real impact. He expressed confidence that the innovations showcased at Bharat Innovates pre-summit will contribute significantly to India’s journey towards global leadership, especially Global South in technology and entrepreneurship.

The pre-Summit, organised as a national precursor to the Bharat Innovates 2026 global showcase in France, brought together 137 promising deep-tech startups selected from over 1,186 applications received from across the country.

Today's pre-summit held at IIT Bombay featured startup pitching sessions, where founders presented cutting-edge innovations spanning advanced materials, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, clean technologies and next-generation manufacturing systems. These sessions were attended by investors, industry leaders and key stakeholders from the innovation ecosystem evaluating opportunities for collaboration and investment.

The event also featured interactions between startups, venture capital firms and industry representatives, fostering meaningful partnerships and enabling startups to explore pathways for commercialization and global market expansion.

The Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit at IIT Bombay marked an important milestone in India’s innovation journey by bringing together academia, startups, investors and policymakers on a single platform. The selected startups are envisaged to work towards representing India’s deep-tech ecosystem at the upcoming Bharat Innovates 2026 international showcase in France, further strengthening India’s position as a global hub for technology-driven innovation.

For more information, visit https://bharatinnovates.in/ 

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