The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar marked a major milestone in India’s startup journey with the 100S100D India AI Pre-Impact Summit, held as part of the IUPAP International Conference on Physics Education (ICPE-2025), taking place at IIT Ropar from December 16–20, 2025.
ICPE-2025 brings together global educators, researchers, and physicists to advance physics education, foster collaboration, and inspire the next generation of scientists. Integrating deep-tech entrepreneurship into this global academic forum, IIT Ropar positioned innovation, education, and startups on a common platform.
The 100 Startups 100 Days initiative was launched to support promising startups through timely funding, structured mentorship, and sustained hand-holding. By bringing together government programmes, academia, industry, and investor networks, IIT Ropar enabled a fast-track pathway from idea validation to real-world deployment.
Aligned with the Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Digital Public Infrastructure, and inclusive innovation, the initiative focuses on taking technology to the grassroots and addressing key national challenges.
The summit was co-organised by iHub–AWaDH, Annam.ai, and IIT Ropar TBIF, with support from an extensive national and international partner ecosystem including the Embassy of Israel in India, MeitY GENESIS, Startup India, Reichman University, BHASHINI, Runway Incubator, ACIC GIET University Foundation, CCCT Sikkim, and Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth; and speakers from Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME), SucSEED Ventures, Link Innovations, 247VC, O2 Angels, IISER Mohali TBI, Innovation Mission Punjab.
A detailed book report with title “Powering Bharat’s AI & Deep-Tech Ecosystem: Insights and Outcomes of 100 Startups 100 Days by IIT Ropar” was launched by Prof. Ajay Sood, Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India during the IUPAP - ICPE-2025 inaugural session showing the impact and journey of the 100Startup 100 Days; the book is co-authored by Dr Pushpendra (IIT Ropar), Dr Radhika & Dr Mukesh (iHub - AWaDH), Ms. Maya (Embassy of Israel in India) and Dr Jenneifter (Reichman University, Israel) showcasing strong global collaborative approach.
The event was graced by Dr. Jaekyeong Lee, Director, Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) and Mr. Reuven Azar, Ambassador of Israel to India, Non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan and Sri Lanka (joined virtually) as Chief Guest.
Under IIT Ropar’s deep-tech innovation ecosystem, 106 innovators and early-stage entrepreneurs were supported nationwide, strengthening India’s deep-tech pipeline. The Hub invested ₹3.71 crore in 83 startups through grants and seed funding, enabling prototype development, IP creation, and market readiness.
Backed by national programmes including DST NM-ICPS, MeitY GENESIS, Operation Dronagiri, HDFC Bank Parivartan, and Startup India–aligned initiatives, the startups span AI, AgriTech, WaterTech, IoT, Cyber-Physical Systems, and sustainability, supporting their journey from idea validation to market deployment.
Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar, congratulated the entire ecosystem for the successful culmination of the 100 Startups 100 Days Pre-Impact Summit, noting that the initiative reflects IIT Ropar’s commitment to building a strong, inclusive, and globally connected deep-tech startup ecosystem.
Dr. Pushpendra P. Singh, Project Director, iHub–AWaDH and Annam.ai, congratulated the startups and partners for the success of the 100 Startups 100 Days initiative, noting that IIT Ropar’s ecosystem continues to empower innovators through focused mentoring, incubation, and acceleration, contributing to India’s vision of self-reliant and impact-driven deep-tech growth.
By integrating startup acceleration with a global academic conference, IIT Ropar demonstrated how education, research, and entrepreneurship together can drive scalable innovation. The 100 Startups 100 Days initiative reflects a growing model of public–private collaboration, global partnerships, and mission-driven funding—positioning India’s deep-tech startups for national impact and global relevance.