Partnerships announced at Bharat Innovates 2026 will drive mentorship, startup enablement, and industry-academia collaboration
Nice, France, June 15: London-based consumer technology unicorn, Nothing today announced the signing of two strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) and the Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), during Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France.
The ceremony was graced by the presence of Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India; Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India; and Shri Harish Salve, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Roorkee, and Former Solicitor General of India. The MoUs were signed by Akis Evangelidis, Co-founder and India President, Nothing, during Bharat Innovates 2026 with Prof. K.K. Pant (Director, IIT Roorkee) and Prof. Govindan Rangarajan (Director, Indian Institute of Science). Organised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, Bharat Innovates 2026 is a global platform showcasing India’s most promising deep-technology startups to international investors, corporations, research institutions, and policymakers. Held ahead of the G7 Summit, the event highlights India’s growing role in shaping the future of innovation and technology on the global stage.
Speaking on the MoU, Akis Evangelidis, Co-founder and India President, Nothing said, “India’s next wave of innovation will emerge from stronger collaboration between academia, entrepreneurs, and industry. At Nothing, we’ve always believed that great ideas can come from anywhere, but they need the right ecosystem to scale. Through our partnerships with IIT Roorkee and IISc-FSID, we’re excited to contribute our experience in building global technology products while creating more opportunities for students, researchers, and startups to turn ambitious ideas into meaningful impact.”
Prof. K.K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee said “The signing of this MoU with Nothing at Bharat Innovates 2026 reflects IIT Roorkee’s commitment to building strong bridges between academia and industry. By combining IIT Roorkee’s research ecosystem with Nothing’s global product development expertise, we aim to create new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-led impact. Bharat Innovates provides an ideal platform to foster such collaborations and strengthen India’s position as a global hub for deep-tech innovation and talent development.”
The partnerships reflect a shared commitment to strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem by creating deeper connections between academia, startups, and industry.
As part of the collaboration with IIT Roorkee, Nothing will contribute to nurturing future innovators through mentorship, expert lectures, industry case studies, and knowledge-sharing engagements in areas such as entrepreneurship, deep-tech innovation, product engineering, and electronic design. The partnership will also explore a jointly organised Industrial Design Challenge aimed at providing students and emerging innovators with hands-on exposure to consumer technology design and innovation.
Through its collaboration with IISc and Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID), Nothing will engage with startups incubated within the IISc ecosystem through mentorship, networking opportunities, startup programmes, and exploration of pilot or commercial collaborations. The partnership will also facilitate industry exposure and training initiatives for students and founders, including guest lectures and potential visits to Nothing facilities.
The partnerships reinforce Nothing’s long-term commitment to India’s innovation landscape and align with broader efforts to accelerate deep-tech entrepreneurship, research commercialization, and global collaboration. By combining academic excellence, startup ambition, and industry expertise, the collaborations aim to equip the next generation of innovators with the resources, exposure, and mentorship needed to build globally relevant technologies.