Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inspects the exhibition of startups and innovators at the Bharat Innovates Deep Tech Pre-Summit 2026, at IIT Bombay, in Mumbai on Sunday (March 22, 2026). | Photo Credit: ANI
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday (March 22, 2026) concluded the pre-summit event of Bharat Innovates 2026 at IIT Bombay, saying that the goal of this initiative is to “carry R&D-driven innovations from every corner of the country to the global stage”.
The pre-summit event, held over the weekend, brought together 137 “promising deep-tech startups” for pitching sessions and interactions with venture capitalists and investors. India’s representation at the deep-tech showcase scheduled in Nice, France, later this year will be picked from these 137 startups, the government said in a statement.
On the sidelines, Mr. Pradhan also chaired a roundtable with about 175 investors, industry leaders, and members of academia in sectors like energy, climate & sustainability, semiconductors, space & defence, healthcare & medtech, advanced computing, biotechnology, mobility & smart cities and Industry 4.0. The Minister also took a tour of the exhibition displaying “cutting-edge, research-driven solutions” at several stalls and at the IIT pavilion.
During the roundtable, he said the “brainstorming session” was to be “centred on advancing deep-tech innovation, strengthening industry-academic 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,” an Education Ministry statement said.
On the pre-summit event, Mr. Pradhan said it was “showcasing cutting-edge technologies while fostering meaningful collaboration, unlocking investment opportunities and building enduring global partnerships.”
In his closing address, he said, “Bharat Innovates is a testament to India’s growing strength as a global innovation hub. The participation of thousands of startups and the showcasing of cutting-edge technologies reflect the vibrancy and depth of India’s innovation ecosystem.”
He added that India is “uniquely positioned” to develop solutions not just for itself but also for the world, particularly the Global South and countries seeking cost-effective and scalable innovations. The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to “supporting innovators through policy support, institutional collaboration and an enabling environment”.
Published – March 22, 2026 10:09 pm IST
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