The DST-GDC I-NCUBATE program empowers STEM researchers aspiring to build deep-tech startups by equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and commercialisation pathways, essential to translating research into real-world impact
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) hosted a seminar on ‘DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program’ on Monday (28th July 2025), bringing together leaders from government, academia, industry, and the investment community to discuss how India can accelerate the development of deep-tech startups arising from academia.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has played a prominent role in the growth and development of deep-tech startups in the country. The Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (GDC), a Centre of Excellence at IIT Madras, has collaborated with over 100 academic universities, labs, and incubators across India to catalyse the commercialisation of research by training over 1600 academics and entrepreneurs working on 500 deep-tech startups.
Last year, DST and GDC collaborated to launch the ‘DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program’, bringing together complementary organisational strengths to accelerate India’s deep-tech startup sector. The program comprises 20 cohorts, run in a bootcamp style, each eight weeks long, with 10-12 startups from diverse sectors and institutions coming together to chart their transformation and commercialisation pathways.
Delivering an address on ‘IIT Madras: Nurturing Innovation & Startups’, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “We have institutionalized a robust and replicable model for nurturing start-ups. Looking ahead, we envision supporting 1,000 start-ups by 2032 from our Incubation Cell alone. We are confident that achieving one IPO per month is within reach. These are ambitious goals, but with sustained effort and collaboration, we are confident that these are certainly attainable.”
Delivering the Keynote Address, Chief Guest Mr. Ramesh Mangaleswaran, (Hon.) Adjunct Professor of Practice, Desai Sethi School of Entrepreneurship, IIT Bombay & Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & Company, said, “The I-NCUBATE Program fills critical gaps in nurturing science-based entrepreneurship in India, most notably in the areas of infusing customer and market insights early in venture creation, and in building of entrepreneurial mindset amongst founders”.
The Highlights of DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program Seminar included:
- A showcase of select startups from the first four cohorts of the DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program, featuring presentations and exhibits
- Insights from policymakers and venture leaders
- A panel with ecosystem enablers
Dr. Pramod Shankar, Scientist-D, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, said, “The DST-GDC I-NCUBATE is a national platform empowering India’s researcher to turn deep-tech ideas into real, scalable businesses. By combining hands-on mentoring, market discovery, and real-world testing, it helps take science out of the lab and into the lives of people—creating startups that solve meaningful problems.” DST is proud to support this initiative — not just as a funder, but as a committed partner in building India’s deep-tech ecosystem. Our goal is to see translational research flourish across academic institutions, and I-NCUBATE is a vital part of this mission. India does not lack innovation; it needs platforms to nurture it. The DST-GDC I-NCUBATE program is one such platform — a national engine for translating potential into progress.”
India’s deep-tech startup ecosystem has grown by 50% over the past five years, and now has more than 3,000 ventures. Programs like iDEX, NIDHI-PRAYAS, and the upcoming National Deep Tech Startup Policy are laying a strong foundation. A new mindset is emerging, which is focused on inventing India-first solutions in defence, space, genomics, and sustainability.
Delivering the welcome address, Prof. Krishnan Balasubramanian, Institute Professor and Professor In-Charge, Gopalakrishnan Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (GDC), IIT Madras, said, “GDC at IIT Madras is proud to have the Department of Science and Technology as a partner in the I-NCUBATE Program over the past one year and hope this partnership continues for several years to follow. We intend to scale the DST-GDC program to STEM institutions across the Indian deep-tech academic and startup landscape by transforming the faculty, researchers, entrepreneurs, and scholars to an entrepreneurial-thinking mindset”.
