India’s 100 Desi DeepTechs: Shaping Frontier Tech Policy

India’s burgeoning deeptech sector has received a significant endorsement with the unveiling of the #100DesiDeepTechs cohort by the Startup Policy Forum (SPF). This initiative, developed through an extensive eight-month nationwide curation process, highlights the nation’s top frontier-tech entrepreneurs. Formed in strategic partnership with MeitY Startup Hub, Startup India (DPIIT), and IIT Madras, the program is poised to integrate these innovators directly into the policy dialogues that will define India’s future in technology and innovation. The cohort represents a pivotal step in positioning India as a global leader in advanced technological domains.

India’s DeepTech Ascent: A Strategic Shift in Innovation

The #100DesiDeepTechs initiative, first launched at TiECON Delhi in October 2025 with applications opening in July of the same year, has culminated in May 2026 with the announcement of its selected founders. This cohort comprises 100 entrepreneurs operating across 10 strategic sectors, including semiconductors, aerospace, robotics, biotechnology, quantum computing, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. The program underscores a fundamental shift in India’s startup ecosystem, moving beyond a historical emphasis on software innovation towards a robust focus on hardware, industrial systems, energy infrastructure, and scientific technologies. This evolution signals a mature and diversified approach to national technological advancement.

Diverse Sectors Driving Frontier Technology

The newly announced cohort vividly illustrates the breadth and depth of India’s deeptech ambitions. Biotechnology and healthtech emerged as the most prominent category, featuring 24 startups. Notable companies in this segment include Dozee, Eka Care, String Bio, SigTuple, and CrisprBits, reflecting significant advancements in life sciences and medical technology. The clean tech and energy sector contributed 12 startups, with AmpereHour Energy and Kazam EV Tech leading the charge in sustainable solutions. Furthermore, the semiconductor space is represented by innovative firms such as Mindgrove, Bharat Semi, and AGNIT, crucial for foundational technology development. The cohort also encompasses startups in drones and aerospace, electric vehicles (including Ather Energy and Ultraviolette), robotics (CynLr), defence technology, advanced manufacturing, and quantum computing (Kalam Labs, QNu Labs, General Autonomy), collectively building physical products and foundational infrastructure from chips and batteries to autonomous systems.

Bridging Innovation with Policy Formulation

Distinct from conventional startup showcases, SPF’s initiative is strategically designed to forge direct connections between these pioneering founders and key policymakers, as well as broader ecosystem leaders. The selected entrepreneurs will actively participate in a series of sector-focused consultations, exclusive closed-door roundtables, and SPF’s upcoming DeepTech BaatCheet series. Their collective insights and feedback are slated to contribute significantly to a comprehensive policy whitepaper, being prepared in collaboration with Ikigai Law. This critical document will address pressing challenges such as regulatory frameworks, access to capital, talent shortages, and strategies for global scaling, thereby ensuring that the voices of innovators directly shape national policy. Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President and CEO of SPF, emphasized that the trajectory of Indian deeptech hinges not solely on technological breakthroughs but equally on the strength of the supporting ecosystems and institutions. She stated that the initiative’s core objective is to unite founders who are instrumental in defining India’s technological aspirations at a national level.

Government Initiatives and Ecosystem Support

The timing of this cohort announcement is particularly pertinent, aligning with significant governmental efforts to bolster India’s innovation landscape. The nation is actively operationalizing the substantial Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Scheme, alongside establishing a dedicated DeepTech Fund of Funds. SPF intends to leverage the #100DesiDeepTechs cohort as a direct industry feedback mechanism, channeling real-world insights into the formulation and refinement of these crucial national programs. Further strengthening the initiative is a distinguished 14-member DeepTech Advisory Board, comprising influential figures from India’s startup and investment ecosystems. This board includes prominent investors such as Prashanth Prakash from Accel India, Anjali Bansal from Avaana Capital, and Pranav Pai from 3one4 Capital, alongside visionary founders like Tarun Mehta of Ather Energy and Anirudh Sharma of Digantara. The inclusion of policymakers, academic leaders, and ecosystem voices, including Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory, underscores the holistic approach to fostering deeptech growth and visibility.

The Broader Implications for India’s Economic Future

Beyond the immediate recognition it confers, the #100DesiDeepTechs cohort carries profound implications for India’s long-term economic and technological trajectory. It unequivocally signals India’s strategic pivot towards investing in deep infrastructure, fostering scientific innovation, and mastering frontier technologies, moving beyond the traditional dominance of consumer internet startups. More critically, the program grants these innovative founders direct access to the policy-making apparatus, allowing them to collaboratively shape the regulatory and financial environment essential for deeptech growth. This direct engagement ensures that India’s next wave of innovation is not just underway but is also systematically supported and integrated into the national economic framework, promising a transformative impact on the country’s global technological standing.