India Unveils ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund at TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025 to Power Deep-Tech Sovereignty

• Industry voices at TiEcon align with PM’s mission to accelerate R&D, innovation, and high-tech manufacturing

TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025, India's largest deeptech summit, set the tone for one of the nation’s most significant science and technology developments — the launch of the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Emerging Science and Technology Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025.

At the two-day TiEcon Delhi-NCR, a keynote fireside conversation titled “Quantum Leap: Accelerating India’s Tech Sovereignty” brought together Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST- GOI), and Dr. Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus, TiE Delhi-NCR. The discussion highlighted India’s focus on strengthening deep-tech capabilities through collaborative R&D, private sector participation, and startup-led innovation - a vision that aligns closely with the objectives of the newly launched RDI Fund.

Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, GOI said, “India stands at a defining moment in its deep-tech journey. The Research, Development and Innovation Fund is a first-of-its-kind initiative to empower corporates, industries, and startups across sunrise sectors such as quantum, AI, semiconductors, biotech, and advanced manufacturing. With liberalized norms and a two-tier fund management model, it aims to catalyse private sector R&D, promote IP creation within India, and strengthen our path toward technological sovereignty. The government’s role is to enable, not control - fostering risk-taking and long-term R&D investment that builds India’s innovation strength.”

Sharing his perspective, Dr. Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus, TiE Delhi-NCR, said,

India’s ambition to achieve tech sovereignty depends on uniting scientific excellence with entrepreneurial execution. By deepening collaboration between academia, research, and startups, we can turn cutting-edge discoveries into world-class products. TiE Delhi-NCR continues to be a catalyst for this ecosystem, connecting innovators, investors, and policymakers to drive India’s next wave of technological breakthroughs.

The session followed the inaugural keynote by Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce and Industries, who emphasised the government’s vision to build a deep-tech ecosystem powered by innovation and youth engagement.

Organised by TiE Delhi-NCR, TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025 brought together policymakers, investors, founders, and global thought leaders to discuss India’s next growth frontier in technology and entrepreneurship. For over 25 years, TiE Delhi-NCR has been a driving force in India’s innovation landscape, fostering collaboration, mentorship, and investment that continue to shape the country’s transformation into a global innovation powerhouse.

About TiE Delhi-NCR

TiE Delhi-NCR is one of the most active and vibrant chapters of TiE Global, dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, education, and funding. With a legacy spanning over two decades, TiE Delhi-NCR continues to empower innovators and founders, driving India’s transformation into a global innovation powerhouse.

Piyush Goyal Urges Deeptech Innovation for India’s Technological Sovereignty at TiEcon Delhi

Policymakers, industry stalwarts, investors, founders and startup leaders converged at TiEcon Delhi to celebrate India’s accelerating deeptech revolution. TiEcon Delhi, organized by TiE Delhi-NCR, a two-day summit kicked off on an inspiring note, setting the stage for powerful conversations, visionary ideas, and collaborations shaping the future of technology and entrepreneurship in India.

The highlight of the opening day was the Grand Keynote by Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce and Industries, Government of India, where he outlined Government’s Vision for Building a Vibrant Deeptech Ecosystem Driven by Innovation and Youth Engagement. He observed that India’s digital journey has been integral to its economic rise, from becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy to being on track to reach the third position within two years, and achieving the vision of a USD 30–32 trillion economy by 2047. He stated that the foundation of India’s growth rests on the power of technology and innovation.

“Over the last decade, India’s remarkable digital transformation has created unprecedented possibilities for the millions of Indians from the bottom-of-the-pyramid to millions of our innovators. Programmes like the Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar identity, Direct Benefit Transfer, the growth of the UPI payments ecosystem, expansion of 4G networks and now 5G across the country, all these have shifted India from coverage to access, from access to usage, from usage to outcomes.As we move towards becoming a global engine of deep-tech innovation, through AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, emerging technologies, the entire ecosystem of talent, institutions, investment, start-ups is aligning with this vision. Happy to see platforms like TiEcon Delhi-NCR bring together entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who embody the spirit of inquiry and enterprise that drives India forward. Together, we must aim not just to participate in the global technology revolution but to lead it with confidence, creativity, and conviction,” said Shri Piyush Goyal, Honourable Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Government of India.

The sessions covered diverse themes from startup profitability to AI innovation and research commercialization. The Power Panel “Mission 2047: What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There” saw participation from STPI, DPIIT, BIRAC, and NSIC leaders discussing India’s roadmap to becoming a global tech powerhouse. A series of fireside chats and keynotes followed, including “Quantum Leap: Accelerating India’s Tech Sovereignty” with Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, and Dr. Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus, TiE Delhi-NCR, and “How India Can Win the Global AI Race” featuring Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, and Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder, Info Edge.

“The Honourable Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks on the need for Indian startups to focus on deep tech inspired us to take decisive action. We shifted our focus and the 25th TiECon Delhi has now become India’s largest deep tech conference. In a world where technology and trade are increasingly being weaponised, technology sovereignty represents national sovereignty. As India moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047, investing in deep tech and research is essential. This vision now defines TiE’s mission” said Dr. Saurabh Srivastava - Chairman Emeritus, TiE Delhi -NCR.

“India is witnessing an exciting phase in its artificial intelligence journey, powered by our strong technology ecosystem and exceptional talent base. Through the India AI Mission, we are focused on building an inclusive and innovation-driven framework that provides access to compute infrastructure, quality datasets and AI skills for startups, researchers and enterprises. In this, TiEcon Delhi NCR play an important role in fostering collaboration among industry leaders, entrepreneurs and policymakers, helping translate India’s AI potential into real-world impact. Our collective goal is to make AI accessible, responsible and transformative for every citizen, driving sustainable and equitable digital growth across the nation,” said Mr. Abhishek Singh, Addl. Secretary, MeitY India AI Mission.

The event also marked the unveiling of SPF 100 Desi Deeptechs, a first-of-its-kind showcase celebrating India’s most promising homegrown Deeptech ventures. Engaging sessions such as ‘AI Unlocked: Innovation, Scale & Competitiveness’ and ‘Deeptech on the Move: AI Innovations Powering Mobility 2.0’, powered by MG Motor, further reflected the vibrancy and depth of India’s Deeptech ecosystem, emphasizing the collective efforts of government, investors, and entrepreneurs in shaping a future-ready innovation economy.

In another key highlight, TiE Delhi-NCR announced the launch of the DeepScale India Accelerator Program at TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025, a national initiative designed to fast-track the commercialization and scaling up of MVP-ready DeepTech startups. Supported by SIDBI as the Investment Partner, DST as the Ecosystem Partner, and AWS as the Technical Partner, the program will empower early-stage innovators across AI, robotics, quantum, biotech, spacetech, and semiconductors through mentorship, funding access, and masterclasses, culminating in a Demo Day at the TechSwaraj DeepTech Summit 2026.

Alongside the accelerator, TiE Delhi-NCR also introduced Lab2Scale, a DeepTech bridge designed to move TRL 4–7 research from proof-of-concept to pilots and commercialization. The Lab2Scale session at TiEcon featured rapid 5-minute pitches by select innovators, followed by curated Founder–Industry Huddles that enabled pilot discussions, partnerships, and opportunities for technology validation.

About TiE Delhi-NCR

Fostering entrepreneurship for over two decades, TiE Delhi-NCR stands as one of the most dynamic and impactful chapters of the global TiE Network. Renowned for its marquee events, high-impact mentoring programs, prestigious entrepreneurial awards, and powerful investor pitch platforms, TiE Delhi-NCR plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s startup landscape. With a mission to empower entrepreneurs at every stage, TiE Delhi-NCR offers access to industry experts, seasoned mentors, and global networks, helping founders scale their ventures beyond imaginable limits. Through consistent efforts to expand, explore, and elevate, TiE Delhi-NCR continues to evolve as India’s most credible and influential platform supporting entrepreneurial growth and innovation.

Piyush Goyal To Speak At India’s Largest Deeptech Event- TiEcon Delhi 2025

• Report release that Spotlights 50 Notable Women in AI 2025

Stage is set for the ultimate deeptech conference that unites founders, CXOs, policymakers, investors, scientists, and builders to drive India's transformative decade in AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, space, defense, biotech, and life sciences.

Key speakers at the event include leaders from diverse sectors such as e-commerce, energy, defense, technology, and finance. TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025 brings together an exceptional lineup of visionaries and leaders driving India’s Deeptech decade. The conference will feature Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, as the Grand Keynote Speaker. Joining him are industry and policy stalwarts including Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT); Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus of TiE Delhi-NCR; Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary at MeitY and CEO of India AI Mission; and Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanraman, CEO of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. Thought leaders from global and domestic innovation ecosystems such as Pragya Misra Mehrishi, Lead for Public Policy & Partnerships (India) at OpenAI; Vani Kola, Founder and Managing Director of Kalaari Capital; Mohit Bhatnagar, Managing Director at Peak XV Partners; Deep Kalra, Founder and Group Executive Chairman of MakeMyTrip; and Srinath Ravichandran, Co-Founder and CEO of AgniKul Cosmos, will also share their insights. Together, these distinguished speakers represent the diverse forces shaping India’s journey toward becoming a global Deeptech powerhouse.

This year’s edition brings together the most defining conversations of India’s innovation decade through strategic keynotes and policy dialogues such as Powering India’s Strategic Decade and How India Can Win the Global AI Race, featuring national mission leaders and ecosystem catalysts. It will spotlight frontier-tech tracks driving India’s technological sovereignty, showcasing deep science ventures solving India-scale challenges. Attendees can look forward to meaningful founder–investor interactions through curated sessions like the Capital Sunrise Investor Breakfast, Growth Capital Lunch, and Moonshot Mixer, designed to turn conversations into collaborations. The Lab2Scale showcase will bridge research and commercialization. The event also scales mentorship through the TiE Institute, 1:1 mentoring lounges, and themed Dialogue Hours, while unveiling major reports and recognitions such as the SPF 100 Desi Deeptech Launch, TiE Report – India: A Startup Superpower @2035, CXXO Women Disruptors, Wired for Impact – Women in Ind(AI), and the Emerging Finance Leader Awards 2025.

TiEcon Delhi-NCR themed India's Deeptech Ascent is proudly brought to you by TiE Delhi-NCR, one of the most dynamic and pioneering chapters in the global TiE network on October 29–30, 2025, at Taj Palace, New Delhi. It will offer a complete ecosystem experience, from inspiration to execution. The program features electrifying keynotes and immersive deep-dive tracks spanning the full frontier of innovation: AI, quantum, semicon, space, defense, biotech, and life sciences.

Commenting on the upcoming event, Ms. Geetika Dayal, Director General, TiE Delhi-NCR, said, "India's deeptech ecosystem has reached an inflection point where research excellence meets market opportunity. Building on our 25-year legacy of powering entrepreneurship, TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025 is where this vision ignites into reality. This isn't just another conference, it's India's deeptech war room. We've designed this for serious builders: all-day investor access, mentoring roundtables over lunch, closed-door connections, and high-density collision points between brilliant minds and bold capital. From Lab2Scale showcases and Power Tracks on AI, Quantum, Space & Defense-Tech, to our CXXO: No Ceiling Summit for women entrepreneurs, every element is engineered for outcomes. If you're building for Bharat and beyond, you need to be in the room."

The event also features a series of allied spotlights that celebrate innovation, leadership, and inclusivity across India’s startup ecosystem. The No Ceiling Summit by CXXO and Kalaari Capital adds to the TiEcon Delhi-NCR programming, spotlighting women leaders and bold, ceiling-breaking entrepreneurs who are redefining business leadership. The TiE–Binary Emerging Finance Leader Awards 2025 will recognize outstanding financial leadership shaping the country’s innovation-driven economy. Adding a strong research-to-market focus, Lab2Scale at TiEcon Delhi-NCR (Oct 29–30) will showcase 10–12 promising research projects through five-minute stage pitches and curated Founder & Industry Huddles, complemented by a commercialization masterclass and a two-hour go-to-market working session with matched founders.

As part of the CXXO initiatives at TiEcon Delhi-NCR, a landmark report, CXXO Wired for Impact — Women in Ind(AI) by Kalaari Capital, will also be launched at the event. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how India works, learns, and leads. But while the country stands at the forefront of this technological wave, women remain underrepresented in the very systems defining its future. It celebrates Notable women in AI 2025, and the report will release 50 names of notable women in AI 2025. CXXO Wired for Impact: Women in Ind(AI) is a first-of-its-kind compilation of key insights on India’s AI–ML workforce, mapping where women stand across the AI value chain and how greater diversity in participation can strengthen the accuracy, inclusivity, and global competitiveness of AI built from India.

In a world reshaped by supply-chain realignments and tech rivalries, India’s deep tech moment is a geopolitical and economic imperative. TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025 focuses on sovereignty-critical technologies, national IP creation, and the virtuous cycle of talent–capital–markets, aligning with national missions such as IndiaAI and the deeptech push with ANRF.

TiEcon Delhi-NCR is proudly supported by Kalaari Capital, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Department of Science & Technology, Indian Angel Network, NatWest, STPI, and leading organizations across the ecosystem.

To register, visit: https://events.tie.org/Delhi-NCR/tiecondelhincr.

For more information, log on to www.tiecon-delhi.in

About TiE Delhi-NCR

Fostering entrepreneurship for over two decades, TiE Delhi-NCR stands as one of the most dynamic and impactful chapters of the global TiE Network. Renowned for its marquee events, high-impact mentoring programs, prestigious entrepreneurial awards, and powerful investor pitch platforms, TiE Delhi-NCR plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s startup landscape. With a mission to empower entrepreneurs at every stage, TiE Delhi-NCR offers access to industry experts, seasoned mentors, and global networks, helping founders scale their ventures beyond imaginable limits. Through consistent efforts to expand, explore, and elevate, TiE Delhi-NCR continues to evolve as India’s most credible and influential platform supporting entrepreneurial growth and innovation.

TiE Mumbai Announces its Hall of Fame - Excellence in Entrepreneurship & Enablers of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

9 awardees chosen after a rigorous selection process
• Ratan N. Tata honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award

The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Mumbai, is in its second year of initiating a "Hall of Fame" series that is aimed at recognizing outstanding Entrepreneurs, Investors, Investment Bankers, Corporates, Public Sector & Government change agents who have contributed tremendously to the development of the Economy and the Ecosystem in India and Globally. These recognitions are given to high achievers, impactful value creators, marquee individuals and institutions who have brought about positive change through innovation, disrupted the norms and are wealth creators.

The “Hall of Fame” awardees were recognized at the 11th edition of TiECon Mumbai, which was held today 28th January 2020 at NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai. The Chief Guest for this year's prestigious "TiE Mumbai's Hall of Fame" was Shri Narayana Murthy, Founder Infosys who is a veteran Industry leader and a strong proponent of the Entrepreneurial landscape in India.

This year, TiE Mumbai had the privilege of honoring Sri Ratan N. Tata with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution that spans across years of focus and dedication.

Atul Nishar, President, TiE Mumbai said, “Sri Ratan Tata's lasting legacy is the highest standards of ethics and integrity that will guide entrepreneurs in their journey for decades to come. The awardees of the Hall of fame have shown exemplary courage, passion and foresight in being disrupters who have created wealth and opportunities for thousands.”

About the Awardees

This year's Hall of Fame 2020 inductees includes the following illustrious Entrepreneurs, Investors and Achievers of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem -

1. Outstanding Indian Entrepreneur: Ashish Hemrajani - CEO & Co-founder, Bigtree Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.


2. Outstanding Entrepreneur B2B e-Commerce: Amod Malviya, Sujeet Kumar, Vaibhav Gupta - Co-founders, Udaan


3. Outstanding Entrepreneur Deep Tech: Sneh Vaswani - Co-founder & CEO, Miko


4. Outstanding Entrepreneur Fashion & Life Style: Anita Dongre - Founder, House Of Anita Dongre


5. Outstanding Serial Entrepreneur & Angel Investor: Anupam Mittal - Founder & CEO, People Group


6. Outstanding Social Change Agent: Vineet Rai - Founder Chairman, Aavishkaar Group


7. Outstanding Value Creating Institution: NPCI - Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO


8. Outstanding Angel Investor: Sanjay Mehta - Founder & Partner, 100X.VC


9. Outstanding Institutionalized Angel Investors: Venture Catalyst - Dr. Apoorv Sharma, Anuj Golecha, Anil Jain, Gaurav Jain

TiECon Mumbai is the largest Entrepreneurial Leadership Conclave that takes place once a year in Mumbai. TiECon Mumbai 2020 will focus on how start-ups are going to drive the future by changing how we use and consume goods and services, interact with technology and deploy them to solve pressing problems. The innovation driven by start-ups may make many current businesses redundant and create opportunities for new ones. TiECon Mumbai 2020 will spotlight all of this, and more.

The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. Since 1992. TiE has been supporting entrepreneurs by offering education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The mission of TiE is to foster entrepreneurship globally through the 5 pillars of TiE: mentoring, networking and education, funding and incubation. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community. TiE's focus area is to generate enable the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are currently 11,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 60 chapters across 17 countries. TiE's mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE's focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs.