Industry academia collaboration key to innovation: Education Minister Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Bharat Innovates reflects India’s emergence as a global innovation hub while addressing the concluding session of the Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

He also participated in roundtable discussions with investors and academic leaders, noting that the pre-summit serves as a precursor to Bharat Innovates 2026 to be held in Nice, France.

The discussions focused on advancing deep-tech innovation, strengthening industry-academia partnerships, and supporting the startup ecosystem.

Pradhan emphasized the need for sustained investment in emerging ventures to help them scale, promote research-driven entrepreneurship, and drive innovation.

He said the initiative aims to take India’s research and development-led innovations to the global stage while building international collaborations and attracting investment.

Highlighting India’s growing capabilities, the minister said the country is well positioned to develop scalable and cost-effective solutions for both domestic needs and the Global South.

He added that the platform brings together ideas, talent, and resources to accelerate innovation and deepen collaboration between industry and academia.

On the sidelines of the summit, Pradhan chaired a roundtable attended by about 175 investors and industry leaders.

He also interacted with innovators working across sectors including energy, climate and sustainability, semiconductors, space and defense, healthcare, biotechnology, advanced computing, mobility, and smart cities.

The event saw participation from 137 deep-tech startups selected from over 1,186 applications nationwide.

Startup founders presented innovations in areas such as artificial intelligence, advanced materials, clean technologies, and next-generation manufacturing, drawing interest from investors and industry stakeholders.

The summit also enabled interactions among startups, venture capital firms, and industry representatives, with discussions centered on collaboration, commercialization, and global expansion.

Dignitaries present at the event included K Radhakrishnan, Vineet Joshi, Abhay Karandikar, and Shireesh Kedare.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to innovation, Pradhan stressed the importance of translating ideas from laboratories into market-ready solutions to create real-world impact.

He expressed confidence that the innovations showcased at the pre-summit would help strengthen India’s position as a global leader in technology and entrepreneurship.

The Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit marked a step forward in India’s innovation efforts, with selected startups expected to represent the country’s deep-tech ecosystem at the international event in France in 2026.