IIT Madras Launches School to Boost Global Deep-Tech Startups

• IIT Madras sets up School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to formalize its startup ecosystem.
• Over 475 startups incubated, valued above ₹50,000 crore, with 11,000+ jobs created.
• New programs include Minor, Master’s, Doctorate, and EIR support for entrepreneurs.

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has initiated a new School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship aimed at creating a ‘world-class ecosystem’ for developing deep-tech start-ups.

The new school seeks to formalize the institute’s expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem and establish IIT Madras as a top entrepreneurial university globally, according to an official statement on the matter. IIT Madras is presently the hub of the nation’s largest deep-tech startup environment, having nurtured more than 475 startups with a valuation exceeding Rs 50,000 crore (approximately USD 6 billion).

These initiatives have together generated over 11,000 jobs, submitted over 700 patents, and secured more than Rs 12,000 crore in investments. Through the establishment of this new School, IIT Madras aims to enhance this momentum by offering organized academic and financial assistance to entrepreneurs.

The institution will provide various academic options, including a Minor in Entrepreneurship, a Master's in Entrepreneurship, a Doctoral program, and professional degrees such as an Innovation Doctorate. A unique ‘Entrepreneur-in-Residence’ (EIR) initiative will also support returning professionals who wish to build start-ups. The School plans to create dedicated funding mechanisms for early-stage and scale-up support, and will run regular Intellectual Property (IP) clinics to help convert student innovations into IP-protected products.

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Highlighting the vision behind this initiative, Prof. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras said, “As we progress after having achieved 1.2 patents a day and exceeded 100 startups in the last financial year, it is time to institutionalize our Innovation and Entrepreneurship efforts. This School is going to be another USP of IIT Madras.” He also observed the excitement among alumni to back these initiatives via the IITM Alumni Fund, which has nearly achieved its Rs 200 crore goal for startup funding.

The School expands on various existing initiatives at IIT Madras. The Centre for Innovation (CFI), one of the largest maker spaces run by students in India, the Nirmaan pre-incubator, which has aided startups such as GalaxEye Space, and groups such as the Tech-Soc and Entrepreneurship Cell have all helped foster an environment of innovation and entrepreneurship on campus.

Further assistance is provided by the Gopalakrishnan Deshpande Centre (GDC), which educates researchers in an entrepreneurial mindset, and the RuTAG Cell, which specializes in rural and social innovation.