Startup Mahakumbh Showcases Deep-Tech Prowess
ECONOMY & POLICY

Startup Mahakumbh Showcases Deep-Tech Prowess

The third and final day of Startup Mahakumbh 2025 culminated in a high-energy celebration of India’s rising prowess in deep-tech, B2B, precision manufacturing, and defence-space sectors. The event cemented India’s commitment to becoming a global innovation hub, echoing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

A power-packed panel on “Defence Startups: Growth Engines of Viksit Bharat,” moderated by Capt. Vishal Kanwar (Retd.), featured leaders like Ankit Mehta (ideaForge), Prashant C. Jain (L&T), Prithwish Kundu (Green Aero), and Soma Sekhar Vedantam (Meridian Data Labs). The panel focused on indigenous innovation, R&D scale-up, and cross-sectoral synergies to position India as a global technology powerhouse.

Adding to the momentum, NSDC signed an MoU with Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) to build a Centre of Excellence for skill development in energy and semiconductors—a strategic move aligned with India's semiconductor mission.

In a session on “Opportunities in Defence and Space Tech,” prominent venture capitalists including Ashish Taneja (GrowX), Cdr. Navneet Kaushik (Jamwant Ventures), Girish Shivani (Yournest), Raj Sethia (MountTech Kavachh), and Vinod Shankar (Java Capital) underscored India's unique dual-use innovation potential, need for regulatory agility, and investor interest spurred by robust policy frameworks and changing geopolitical narratives.

Another key discussion, “Fintech Meets B2B,” moderated by Karthik Prabhakar (Peer Capital), delved into financial strategies for enterprise growth. Panelists including Arup Kumar (SIDBI VC), Parthesh Shah (Knight FinTech), and Sonali Jindal (Rezolv) highlighted the importance of long-term capital, academic linkages, and policy-driven incentives to spur indigenous tech development.

Wrapping up, the “zero-one in Manufacturing” session explored founder journeys in advanced textiles, specialty chemicals, and agri-tech. Led by Akshay Sharma (3one4 Capital), it featured insights from Piyush Jalan (Thimblerr), Sachin Santosh (Scimplify), and Shreshtha Kukreja (Whizzo), emphasising first-principles thinking, global compliance (US FDA, EPA), and MSME-led scaling.

Startup Mahakumbh, organised by FICCI, NASSCOM, TiE, IVCA, and others, attracted 50,000+ visitors, 3,000 startups, and 1,000+ investors. With its second edition set for 2025, the event reinforces India’s leadership in strategic and scalable innovation.

The third and final day of Startup Mahakumbh 2025 culminated in a high-energy celebration of India’s rising prowess in deep-tech, B2B, precision manufacturing, and defence-space sectors. The event cemented India’s commitment to becoming a global innovation hub, echoing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. A power-packed panel on “Defence Startups: Growth Engines of Viksit Bharat,” moderated by Capt. Vishal Kanwar (Retd.), featured leaders like Ankit Mehta (ideaForge), Prashant C. Jain (L&T), Prithwish Kundu (Green Aero), and Soma Sekhar Vedantam (Meridian Data Labs). The panel focused on indigenous innovation, R&D scale-up, and cross-sectoral synergies to position India as a global technology powerhouse. Adding to the momentum, NSDC signed an MoU with Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) to build a Centre of Excellence for skill development in energy and semiconductors—a strategic move aligned with India's semiconductor mission. In a session on “Opportunities in Defence and Space Tech,” prominent venture capitalists including Ashish Taneja (GrowX), Cdr. Navneet Kaushik (Jamwant Ventures), Girish Shivani (Yournest), Raj Sethia (MountTech Kavachh), and Vinod Shankar (Java Capital) underscored India's unique dual-use innovation potential, need for regulatory agility, and investor interest spurred by robust policy frameworks and changing geopolitical narratives. Another key discussion, “Fintech Meets B2B,” moderated by Karthik Prabhakar (Peer Capital), delved into financial strategies for enterprise growth. Panelists including Arup Kumar (SIDBI VC), Parthesh Shah (Knight FinTech), and Sonali Jindal (Rezolv) highlighted the importance of long-term capital, academic linkages, and policy-driven incentives to spur indigenous tech development. Wrapping up, the “zero-one in Manufacturing” session explored founder journeys in advanced textiles, specialty chemicals, and agri-tech. Led by Akshay Sharma (3one4 Capital), it featured insights from Piyush Jalan (Thimblerr), Sachin Santosh (Scimplify), and Shreshtha Kukreja (Whizzo), emphasising first-principles thinking, global compliance (US FDA, EPA), and MSME-led scaling. Startup Mahakumbh, organised by FICCI, NASSCOM, TiE, IVCA, and others, attracted 50,000+ visitors, 3,000 startups, and 1,000+ investors. With its second edition set for 2025, the event reinforces India’s leadership in strategic and scalable innovation.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India To Invest $37 Billion To Boost Petrochemical Capacity

India is set to become a major global player in the petrochemicals industry, driven by a planned capital expenditure of $37 billion (Rs 3.1 trillion) aimed at reducing import dependency and enhancing self-sufficiency, according to S&P Global Ratings.In its latest report titled “First China, Now India: Self-Sufficiency Goals Will Add To Petrochemicals Supply”, S&P said India’s large-scale capacity expansion—mirroring China’s earlier push—will likely intensify oversupply pressures in Asia’s petrochemical markets.Currently the world’s third-largest petrochemical consumer a..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Indian Railways Expands Global Exports Of Rail Equipment

Indian Railways has announced that it is rapidly emerging as a global exporter of railway equipment, including bogies, coaches, locomotives, and propulsion systems, under the government’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative.According to an official statement, India’s railway products are now reaching over 16 international markets, reflecting the country’s growing capacity to design, develop, and deliver world-class rail solutions.Metro coaches have been exported to Australia and Canada; bogies to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France, and Australia; propulsion systems t..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

RailTel Awards Rs 163 Million Contract To RTNS Technology

RailTel Corporation of India Limited (RailTel), a Mini Ratna Public Sector Undertaking, has awarded a domestic work order worth Rs 163 million to RTNS Technology Private Limited.The contract, issued on 30 September 2025, involves the supply and installation of equipment and related services for one of RailTel’s key customers. The project underscores RailTel’s commitment to advancing technology and communication infrastructure through collaboration with domestic system integrators.RTNS Technology Private Limited, an ISO-certified system integrator, provides comprehensive solutions for perim..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?