Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today released two Strategic Documents on Bharat Innovates, showcasing India’s emerging innovation and startup ecosystem rooted in higher education and research institutions. The initiative reinforces the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to transform India from a nation of knowledge consumers into a nation of knowledge creators, innovators and technology leaders.
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood; Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Shri Sanjay Kumar Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Dr. Vineet Joshi; ; Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Shri Deepak Bagla; Joint Secretary, Technical Education, Ministry of Education, Smt. Saumya Gupta and senior officials of the Ministry of Education were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that one of the core objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is to transform India from a system of knowledge consumption to a system of knowledge creation and innovation.
He noted that the startups featured in the Bharat Innovates Strategic Documents are emerging from India's premier institutions, incubators and research ecosystems, reflecting the growing innovation capacity of the country's higher education sector.
The Minister said that Bharat Innovates reflects the vision articulated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to take India’s innovation capabilities to the global stage. The initiative is aligned with the Prime Minister’s larger mission of building an innovation-led Viksit Bharat, he added.
The Minister highlighted that Bharat Innovates is creating opportunities for Indian startups to engage with global investment firms managing over USD 3 trillion in assets and representing more than 12,000 investments worldwide. He further noted that the Event is expected to bring together more than 100 global investors and leading institutions, reflecting growing international confidence in India's deep-tech and innovation ecosystem.
Shri Pradhan stated that the initiative has already generated significant investor interest, with nearly USD 20 million in near-closure and finalized commitments. He added that a series of roadshows in Paris, Tokyo and Bengaluru have been undertaken to connect Indian startups with global investors and strengthen international engagement.
Referring to the research and innovation ecosystem within higher education institutions, the Minister said that IITs, IISc, BITS Pilani and other leading institutions would showcase their key research and innovation projects under Bharat Innovates, highlighting the growing contribution of academia-led innovation to national development.
Shri Pradhan stated that Bharat Innovates is creating structured pathways for international engagement through the Incubator Innovation Bridge and the Industry Innovation Bridge, connecting Indian innovators with leading global institutions, corporates and innovation ecosystems.
In this context, he noted that 28 innovation-focused MoUs have been identified to be signed with French and other international partners. Principal Scientific Adviser, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, appreciated the Ministry of Education’s role in anchoring India’s deep-tech startup agenda.
He said that the Ministry has an important role in accelerating the deep-tech startup ecosystem by strengthening the pipeline of researchled startups emerging from academic and research institutions. Prof. Sood further mentioned that India must build not only deep-tech companies but also a deeper culture of deep-tech innovation.
The two strategic documents released on the occasion comprise the Bharat Innovates Startup Compendium, which profiles 120 high-potential startups selected from across the country, The documents provide sector-wise market intelligence, technology trends, global opportunity mapping and strategic engagement pathways to help startups identify future growth opportunities.
The second Strategic Document showcases nearly 50 cutting-edge research and innovation projects from leading higher education and research institutions, including IITs, IISc and other premier institutions. Under the aegis of the India–France Year of Innovation, the Union Ministry of Education is hosting Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France, from 14–16 June 2026.
The event brings together 120 elite Deep Tech innovators, selected from over 3,000 ventures, highlighting India's research capabilities across critical sectors like space, defence, biotechnology, and quantum computing.
A cornerstone of this event is the participation of 15 premier Higher Education Institutions like IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, and IIT Madras. The cohort holds over 1,500 patents and has collectively raised more than US$1.5 billion, and includes two listed firms, ideaForge and Ather Energy.