Pradhan concludes Bharat Innovates pre-summit: ‘goal is to take innovations from every corner of India to global stage’

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan highlights Bharat Innovates' aim to elevate Indian deep-tech startups to the global stage.

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.”