The Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association held the Bharat DeepTech Roundtable in Bengaluru to discuss commercializing new technologies. Minister Priyank Kharge said, “Karnataka has always believed that innovation must translate into real-world impact.” The state and investors now plan to build a co-investment framework to help startups scale.

Synopsis

The Bharat DeepTech Roundtable took place in Bengaluru, organized by the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association. It brought together investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss the commercialization of DeepTech.

BENGALURU: The Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) convened the Bharat DeepTech Roundtable in Bengaluru, chaired by Priyank Kharge, Minister for Home Affairs, Information Technology, Biotechnology and E-Governance, Government of Karnataka. The closed-door discussion brought together investors, founders, policymakers, research institutions and industry leaders to identify practical steps to move Indian DeepTech ventures from research and demonstration to commercial adoption and scale.

Held under the theme “From Mission to Market: What India Must Fast-Track, and What It Must Urgently Build”, the roundtable highlighted a proposed state-level government–investor co-investment framework covering joint funding, intellectual property and R&D. Participants called for beginning with a focused pilot, backed by clear accountability, before expanding the model. A joint framework for government–investor collaboration was identified among the next steps.

The discussion also highlighted Karnataka’s “Government First” approach, under which the state outlined support for startups addressing public challenges through pilots, funding, sandbox environments and access to government databases. The state also agreed to explore shared Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) access through existing facilities and invited investors and ecosystem partners to engage with its Centres of Excellence.

Kharge said in a statement, “Karnataka has always believed that innovation must translate into real-world impact. Our focus is on creating an environment where DeepTech startups can move beyond research and successful pilots to commercial deployment and scale. Through our Government First approach, we want to provide startups with opportunities to test, validate and deploy solutions to public challenges, while improving access to infrastructure, technology and markets. We are also keen to explore stronger collaboration with the investor community, including co-investment opportunities, to support promising technologies and build globally competitive companies from Karnataka.”

A central concern was the shortage of capital at the research and proof-of-concept stages, particularly Technology Readiness Levels 1–3. Participants stressed the need to mobilise more patient domestic capital and create stronger pathways to follow-on funding. Equally pressing was the gap between successful pilots and commercial contracts: startups often demonstrate their technologies but struggle to secure first customers, procurement orders and repeat business in India.

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Manufacturing and enabling infrastructure emerged as another priority. Proposals included investor-run Centres of Excellence, shared rapid-prototyping facilities, improved access to compute, and faster approvals for hardware and manufacturing ventures. Participants also pointed to opportunities for Indian companies to build capabilities in imported components, specialty materials and other critical subsystems, supported by stronger domestic demand.

Rajat Tandon, President, IVCA said in a statement, “India has made significant progress in building its DeepTech ecosystem, but the next phase depends on bridging innovation and commercialisation. Access to patient capital at the research and proof-of-concept stages remains critical, alongside pathways to first customers, manufacturing and scale. Our discussions with the Government of Karnataka highlight opportunities for investors, government and industry to collaborate. At IVCA, our partnership with Headstart will support DeepTech startups beyond metros, across India’s hinterlands. We will also collaborate with state and central governments to engage more corporates and GCCs in our DeepTech initiatives, developing practical models for co-investment, technology adoption and long-term growth.”

The discussion explored the role of government as an early buyer, procurement opportunities extending to components and suppliers, and closer collaboration among startups, corporates and Global Capability Centres. Participants also called for greater access to international markets, stronger visibility for founders in Tier II and Tier III cities, and a more coordinated approach to connecting research, investment and industry.

Among the proposed next steps are a joint government–investor collaboration framework, continued engagement with Karnataka’s innovation and market-access programmes, and a process to carry the roundtable’s recommendations to relevant government departments. The discussion’s consolidated themes will also inform IVCA’s ongoing DeepTech engagements ahead of the Bharat DeepTech Summit in New Delhi on 12 January 2027.

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