Dhanbad, Apr 15: The fourth edition of IInvenTiv 2026, the flagship R&D fair of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, successfully concluded at the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad. The event witnessed the distinguished presence of 17 institutional leaders, including Directors from 14 IITs, along with representatives from IIEST, NIT, and CSIR, who shared their insights and perspectives, enriching discussions on research, innovation, and industry collaboration. Jointly organized by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Kharagpur, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, IIT Bhubaneswar, and IIT Patna, the two-day event brought together premier academic institutions, innovators, start-ups, venture capitalists, policymakers, and industry leaders to showcase cutting-edge innovations and accelerate the journey from research to real-world impact.
The event was inaugurated by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Hon’ble Governor of Jharkhand, who formally inaugurated the Technology Demonstration Zones and key Centres of Excellence, including the Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN) CoE and ReNew CoE. The inaugural ceremony witnessed participation from distinguished leaders across government, academia, and industry, underlining the importance of collaborative innovation in driving India’s growth story.
Across its fourth edition, IInvenTiv 2026 recorded its highest-ever participation, with a total of 190 innovations and startups showcased, including 150 innovations from leading institutions (110 from IITs, 23 from NITs, 1 from IISER, and 11 from other institutions). The event featured participation from over 45 technology startups, 55+ startup founders, and 200+ student innovators, along with 20+ venture capital firms, 60+ industry leaders, and 100+ industry executives. Academic participation included 106+ faculty members and 35–40 deans and institutional representatives.
A major highlight of IInvenTiv 2026 was the signing of multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and the disbursement of seed funding to start-ups under the TEXMiN initiative. Strategic collaborations were formalized with leading organizations such as NTPC Mining Limited, Agilent Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., Anton Paar India Pvt. Ltd., and Tecknotrove Systems India Pvt. Ltd., focusing on the establishment of advanced laboratories and Centres of Excellence in areas including critical mineral analytics and mining simulation & training, several start-ups also received funding support. In addition, MoUs were also signed with Simon India, Kaynes Semicon, Netweb, TechBond, and Hycon with IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, further strengthening industry–academia partnerships across emerging technology domains.
The event witnessed an engagement from over 500 general visitors and more than 1000 delegates overall. Under the TEXMiN initiative, four MoUs worth ₹10 crore were signed, while five MoUs with IIT (ISM) Dhanbad were valued at approximately ₹15 crore. The startups also received funding support of around ₹16.5 crore, marking the first instance of on-the-spot funding at IInvenTiv. A total of 71 startups participated in structured VC matchmaking sessions, of which 15 were shortlisted for further funding discussions.
The event commenced with a high-level roundtable on “Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) to Scale-up Strategic Sectors,” bringing together Directors of IITs, NITs, venture capitalists, and industry leaders to discuss scaling innovation across critical sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, healthcare, materials science, and earth sciences.
Speaking on the successful conclusion of the event, Prof. Sukumar Mishra, Director of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, said, “IInvenTiv 2026 reflects the growing strength and maturity of India’s research and innovation ecosystem. The scale of participation and the quality of innovations showcased here demonstrate how academic institutions are increasingly contributing to solving real-world challenges while driving technological self-reliance. The collaborations forged during the event will play a crucial role in accelerating the translation of research into impactful solutions.”
Parthasarathi Das, Dean (R&D) and Convenor of IInvenTiv 2026, added, “The success of IInvenTiv lies in its ability to bring together academia, industry, and investors on a single platform. The MoUs signed, the startup engagements, and the strong participation from venture capitalists highlight the increasing momentum towards building a robust innovation-to-commercialisation pipeline. Such platforms are essential for nurturing ideas and transforming them into scalable technologies and enterprises.”Adding to this, Ejaz Ahmad, PIC SRIC and Organising Secretary of IInvenTiv 2026, said, “This year’s edition witnessed strong engagement across technology demonstration zones, startup pitching sessions, and structured VC matchmaking. The funding support extended to startups and the industry partnerships formed during the event underline the growing confidence in India’s deep-tech ecosystem. IInvenTiv continues to strengthen the industry–academia–investor interface across strategic sectors.”
Over the two days, IInvenTiv 2026 hosted a series of plenary sessions across key thematic areas, including Semiconductor Technology and Chip Design, Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare Innovations, Material Sciences, and Earth Sciences. These sessions facilitated in-depth discussions on emerging technologies, policy frameworks, and pathways for commercialization.
Day two focused on strengthening academia–industry linkages through thematic A2B matchmaking and pitching sessions, along with sessions on IIT-led startup use cases and national digital initiatives such as the National Health Stack. The event witnessed participation from over 1000 delegates, making it a vibrant hub for innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange.
The event also featured technology demonstration zones, startup pitching sessions and one-to-one industry interactions, enabling direct engagement between innovators and investors. Participants were also given guided access to advanced facilities such as the 3D Mine Experience Centre, underground mining sites, geological museum, and seismological observatory, offering immersive insights into cutting-edge research infrastructure.
