Mumbai, March 20 (NationPress) Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will spearhead an engaging dialogue among over 200 startup founders and investors at the Bharat Innovates deep-tech pre-summit, commencing at IIT Bombay this Saturday, as stated by an official.

This two-day event aims to highlight startups, foster investor interactions, and facilitate industry networking, featuring approximately 137 innovative deep-tech startups chosen from a pool of more than 3,000 nationwide applications, according to an official announcement.

The Bharat Innovates initiative was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the launch of the India-France Year of Innovation.

As a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Education, it operates under the strategic oversight of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

This program is envisioned as a global accelerator for Indian deep-tech, forging sustainable connections between India’s higher education innovation ecosystem (including startups, laboratories, and research parks) and international stakeholders such as corporations, investors, incubators, universities, and governmental bodies.

The inaugural session will see participation from Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and Chair of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). The event will also attract senior government officials, academics, and entrepreneurs.

The Bharat Innovates 2026 initiative unfolds over three key milestones: National Basecamp in Gandhinagar and Mumbai (December 2025 and January 2026); Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit at IIT Bombay, Mumbai (March 21–22, 2026); and the International Innovation Showcase in Nice, France (June 14–16, 2026).

The Pre-Summit will unite over 200 startup founders, 70-plus investors, venture capital leaders, and more than 50 industry leaders, corporate partners, senior government officials, and innovation missions.

The Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit will highlight innovations across 13 essential technology domains, including Advanced Computing, Healthcare and MedTech, Space and Defence, Energy & Sustainability, Semiconductors, Biotechnology, Smart Cities and Mobility, Blue Economy, Next-Gen Communications, Agri and Food Technologies, Advanced Materials, Manufacturing & Industry 4.0, and Disaster Management.

These innovations, cultivated within India’s prestigious institutions such as IITs, IISc, and leading research ecosystems, symbolize the next wave of globally competitive technologies emerging from India’s academic foundation, as per the statement.