India Tech Report

Tag: deep-tech

  • Deep tech India momentum: 10 noteworthy developments so far in 2025

    India’s deep tech sector gains momentum through April 2025

    India’s deep tech sector witnessed some serious momentum heading into May. Notably, deep tech startups attracted $324 million in funding in the first four months of 2025, more than double the previous year’s figure for the same period, Economic Times reported, citing data from Venture Intelligence.

    While the absolute number is modest, compared with the leading deep tech hubs of the world, this increase does reflect growing investor confidence, and a gradually maturing ecosystem in India. Now here are 10 noteworthy developments in deep tech in India in 2025, in no particular order.

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    1. Netradyne’s $90 million investment

    Netradyne, an AI-powered fleet management platform, secured $90 million led by Qualcomm Ventures and Point72 Ventures. Their cutting-edge computer vision and deep learning solutions are transforming real-time driver and fleet safety analytics.

    2. SpotDraft’s $54 million raise

    SpotDraft, specializing in AI-based contract management, raised $54 million. Its platform leverages machine learning to automate and optimize legal contract workflows for enterprises in India and beyond.

    3. Infinite Uptime’s $35 million for predictive maintenance

    Infinite Uptime, a predictive maintenance platform, raised $35 million. The company uses IoT and AI to monitor industrial equipment, reducing downtime and boosting operational efficiency.

    4. Tonbo Imaging’s $21 million for defense tech

    Tonbo Imaging, a leader in advanced imaging and sensor systems for defense, secured $21 million. Their technology enhances surveillance, targeting, and situational awareness for the armed forces.

    5. Inspecity’s $19.5 million series A funding

    Inspecity Space, a Mumbai-based startup focused on in-orbit satellite servicing and space robotics, raised $19.5 million in a Series A round led by Nexus Venture Partners. This funding will help accelerate the development of India’s first in-orbit satellite servicing missions.

    6. Agnikul Cosmos: 3D-printed rocket engine advances

    Agnikul Cosmos, incubated at IIT Madras, conducted further advanced tests on its 3D-printed rocket engine. The company’s milestones highlight India’s private space tech capabilities in advanced manufacturing and innovation.

    7. Mindgrove Technologies: indigenous semiconductor breakthrough

    Mindgrove Technologies, a fabless semiconductor startup, successfully taped out its 28nm Secure-IOT chip based on RISC-V architecture. This chip strengthens India’s domestic hardware ecosystem and reduces reliance on imports.

    8. ImmunoAct’s indigenous CAR-T cell therapy

    ImmunoAct, in collaboration with IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Hospital, developed an indigenous CAR-T cell therapy for cancer. This breakthrough offers advanced, locally developed treatment options for Indian patients.

    9. India’s sovereign AI efforts

    The IndiaAI Mission has now named four startups to build AI models for the country. These are Sarvam AI, Soket AI, Gnani AI and Gan AI. IndiaAI allocated ₹10,372 crore (approx. $1.25 billion) to accelerate AI research and talent development.

    10. Pixxel’s hyperspectral imaging satellites

    Pixxel, a Bengaluru-based space tech startup, is building a constellation of hyperspectral imaging satellites. These will provide high-resolution, real-time imagery for agriculture, climate monitoring, and disaster response, positioning India as a leader in commercial space applications.

  • India’s AI and deep tech opportunity, Jua raises funding for Earth simulation, and a New Mexico deep tech coalition

    India poised to become global leader in AI and deep tech, say experts

    India is at a pivotal moment to lead the world in artificial intelligence and deep tech, leveraging its vast digital data resources, according to global experts at the India Global Innovation Connect 2025 in Bengaluru, Times of India reports.

    Speakers highlighted India’s strategic advantage in data, the need for deeper process reforms, and urgent educational changes to prepare for quantum and AI-driven futures.

    Industry leaders emphasized that integrating AI into enterprise systems will be a key competitive edge, unlocking productivity and growth. India’s momentum positions it as a potential global hub for technological breakthroughs in the coming decade.

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    Accenture and NVIDIA partner to help AI startups scale enterprise solutions

    Accenture has announced an expanded initiative, in collaboration with NVIDIA Inception, to help high-potential AI startups transition from breakthrough ideas to scalable enterprise solutions, the tech services and consulting giant said in a press release.

    The program will provide startups with market intelligence, technical workshops, and access to Accenture’s industry expertise and NVIDIA’s developer ecosystem.

    The first phase targets marketing and customer experience AI solutions, aiming to accelerate innovation and enterprise readiness. The partnership is designed to bridge the gap between innovation and market impact, supporting startups in delivering meaningful, industry-wide transformation.

    AI, blockchain, and IoT to boost climate tech innovation in 2025

    Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are revolutionizing climate tech in 2025, AppInventiv, an on-demand software developer, notes in a blogpost.

    AI is enabling smarter sustainability by optimizing energy use, managing emissions, and building climate resilience. Blockchain is enhancing transparency in carbon credit trading and emission tracking, while IoT devices provide real-time environmental monitoring for air, water, and soil quality.

    These tools are empowering startups to create scalable, transparent, and effective solutions for global sustainability challenges, opening new opportunities for impact and profitability in climate action.

    Zurich startup Jua raises €10M to launch AI-based Earth simulation platform

    Jua, a Zurich-based climate tech startup, has secured €10 million in Series A funding to accelerate the rollout of its AI-based Earth simulation platform, Tech Startups reports. The platform uses proprietary physics-based models to forecast weather and energy market dynamics, helping energy companies and other industries make better planning decisions.

    The round was co-led by Ananda Impact Ventures and Future Energy Ventures, with existing backers also participating. Jua claims its Earth Intelligence platform is the world’s most advanced in its category, promising to enhance climate and energy risk forecasting for commercial applications.

    Leading venture funds launch coalition for deep tech investment in New Mexico

    A new coalition for deep tech investment has been launched by leading venture funds in partnership with Roadrunner Venture Studios and the New Mexico State Investment Council, Quantum Insider reports. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between frontier science in laboratories and the venture capital needed to commercialize world-changing ideas.

    Organizers emphasize that deep tech startups require different support structures compared to traditional startups, focusing on long-term, high-impact innovations in fields like quantum computing, advanced materials, and climate solutions.

  • BharatGen AI, Ather and Infineon, China’s rare earth India impact, and MFV’s new pre-seed fund

    Photo of Republic Day-themed art installations India Republic Day publ

    India launches Bharat Gen, first government-funded multimodal AI language model for Indian languages

    Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched Bharat Gen, India’s first indigenously developed, government-funded, AI-based multimodal large language model (LLM) for Indian languages at the BharatGen Summit, according to a statement yesterday by the ministry of science and technology.

    Developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems and led by IIT Bombay, BharatGen integrates text, speech, and image processing in 22 Indian languages to provide region-specific AI solutions across sectors like healthcare, education, and governance. Supported by a consortium of academic and industry leaders, BharatGen aims to make AI ethical, inclusive, and rooted in Indian values, empowering innovation and citizen engagement nationwide.

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    Ather Energy and Infineon partner to boost India’s electric two-wheeler innovation with advanced semiconductors

    Ather Energy and Infineon Technologies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop advanced semiconductor technologies for India’s electric two-wheeler market, the two companies said in a press release recently.

    The partnership aims to enhance the efficiency, safety, and reliability of light electric vehicles (LEVs) and charging infrastructure using Infineon’s microcontrollers, sensors, and SiC/GaN (Silicon Carbide / Gallium Nitride) technologies, combined with Ather’s design expertise.

    Executive Director and CTO Swapnil Jain says this collaboration helps Ather contribute to the EV ecosystem as well, as India seeks to hit 30 percent of auto sales with EVs by 2030. Ather and Infineon will work to make its electric scooters more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and appealing to consumers, while also exploring new innovations in sensing and safety systems.

    China’s rare earth export curbs could threaten India’s booming electric two-wheeler market

    Meanwhile, India’s electric two-wheeler sales have surged by a third, NDTV Profit reports, but the industry faces a looming shortage of rare earth metals as China has imposed strict export restrictions, requiring special licenses and slowing supply to automakers.

    China, which controls about 90 percent of global rare earth processing, has not granted export licenses to Indian companies, raising concerns that production could halt if the situation persists.

    Despite the sales boom, the sector’s growth in India is threatened by these supply chain disruptions, as rare earth metals are critical for manufacturing electric vehicle motors and batteries.

    MFV Partners launches $25M deep tech fund with University of Chicago, expands investments including Indian startups

    In some deep tech VC funding news, MFV Partners has launched Harper Court Ventures Fund I, a $25 million fund in exclusive partnership with the University of Chicago, to invest in pre-seed deep tech startups from the university’s ecosystem, focusing on quantum computing, life sciences, energy, and AI.

    The fund has already invested in Flow Medical, SimCare AI, and Beacon. MFV’s portfolio company Conifer emerged from stealth, and MFV participated in new funding rounds for Chef Robotics, Irrigreen, and ReScale.

    Karthee Madasamy, founding managing partner of MFV Partners, has played an important role in India’s startup ecosystem, notably by establishing Qualcomm Ventures’ India operations in 2008 and leading early investments in companies such as MapMyIndia, Apalya, Kirusa, and Tessolve.

    During his 11-year tenure as managing director at Qualcomm Ventures, he was instrumental in supporting Indian deep tech and mobile technology startups, and he continues to back Indian innovators through MFV Partners, including investments in Ati Motors, an autonomous mobile robots (AMR) company in Bangalore.