New Delhi, Aug 25 – IIT Delhi’s flagship innovation summit, FITT Forward 2025, concluded with a strong message: India’s deep-tech ecosystem is ready to scale from prototypes to globally competitive solutions. The two-day event, hosted by the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), brought together startups, investors, policymakers, diplomats and industry leaders to accelerate India’s innovation drive.
Launching India’s Next Semiconductor Champions
One of the summit’s biggest announcements came from FITT and AIC IIT Delhi Sonipat, in partnership with Cadence. The trio unveiled a 24-month incubation program aimed at grooming fabless semiconductor startups working on chip design, edge-AI hardware, RISC-V architectures and energy-efficient design workflows.
The initiative will give selected startups access to Cadence’s electronic design automation (EDA) tools, IIT Delhi’s labs and prototyping facilities, mentorship, legal/IP support, and milestone-based grants. A national bootcamp will shortlist 15–20 teams, with up to two ventures receiving full incubation support.
“This program provides the missing bridge—from brilliant design talent to globally competitive deep-tech companies,” said Dr. Nikhil Agarwal, MD of FITT, highlighting its alignment with the India Semiconductor Mission and Viksit Bharat 2047 goals.
Global Dialogues on Responsible Innovation
The summit also featured global perspectives. At the TechFront panel, Rajat Taneja, President of Technology at Visa, stressed that trust and security must remain at the heart of innovation. He called for collaboration among regulators, academia and industry to ensure technology is developed ethically and transparently, adding that Visa is committed to building a secure, future-ready financial ecosystem for India.
Diplomats from Germany, Australia, Switzerland and the UK joined NITI Aayog at the session Unity in Diversity – Embassies in Dialogue. They underlined the importance of cross-border cooperation in deep-tech, space technology, AI and startup exchanges, describing global partnerships as a resilience strategy for innovation.
Awards and Startup Breakthroughs
FITT Forward 2025 also celebrated emerging ventures with cash prizes and recognition. Honeyloop Technologies won ₹3 lakh, Earth Sense Labs bagged ₹5 lakh, Green Aero Propulsion was named the most promising startup, while Vecmocon Technologies took home the title of most impactful startup.
The expo floor showcased market-ready innovations spanning healthtech, mobility, robotics, and smart materials. Highlights included herbal wellness textiles, antimicrobial fabrics, AI-powered traffic management systems, auto simulation software, portable diagnostic kits, predictive wearables, and nutrient-delivering smart patches. A robotics showcase drew attention with India’s first autonomous pool-cleaning robot and advanced UAV applications in rescue and logistics.
From Prototype to Scale
By its close, FITT Forward 2025 positioned IIT Delhi as a launchpad for India’s next generation of deep-tech champions. The summit not only spotlighted cutting-edge innovation but also underscored India’s shift toward building scalable ventures that can drive global impact.
“Deep-tech is no longer just about prototypes—it’s about practical, scalable solutions that will shape India’s future,” FITT noted in its closing statement.
