IIT Jodhpur emerges as a National Hub for Innovation and Start-up growth

IIT Jodhpur has been recognised as one of India’s rapidly growing innovation and entrepreneurship centres through its Technology Innovation and Start-up Center (TISC). The institute has been credited with translating academic research into real-world solutions and nurturing start-ups that address national priorities across health, technology, and sustainability.

Under TISC, more than 45 start-ups have been incubated over the past few years. These ventures have been established not only by students and alumni of IIT Jodhpur but also by faculty members and external entrepreneurs selected through national innovation programs. The focus areas have included affordable healthcare, deep technology, green innovation, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and digital learning tools.

Access to advanced research and development (R&D) infrastructure worth around ₹25 lakh per start-up per year has been provided by the institute. This support has been extended through in-kind facilities such as laboratory equipment, prototyping spaces, and testing facilities available within IIT Jodhpur. The initiative has been supported through institutional innovation funds and national programs under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), including NIDHI and TIDE 2.0.

Start-ups incubated at TISC have been successful in securing several competitive national grants. Among them, the Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has been awarded to innovators developing proof-of-concept technologies in healthcare and diagnostics. Under this scheme, early-stage entrepreneurs are provided funding support of up to ₹50 lakh to advance biotechnology-based innovations.

Funding has also been received from the MSME Idea Hackathon, an initiative of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), which provides up to ₹15 lakh for prototype development and incubation assistance. In addition, financial and technical support has been extended through DST’s NIDHI–PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators and Start-ups) scheme, which offers grants of up to ₹10 lakh to innovators at the proof-of-concept stage.

Technologies developed under these programs have focused on high-impact areas. Non-invasive health monitoring devices have been designed to measure vital signs such as heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood glucose without physical contact or blood sampling. Nanosensor diagnostic tools have been created for early detection of diseases using nanomaterial-based sensors. Rural telemedicine solutions integrating IoT-enabled diagnostic devices with digital consultation platforms have also been developed to improve healthcare access in underserved regions.

Recognition for IIT Jodhpur’s start-ups and research translation efforts has been received at several national and international platforms. Start-ups have been honoured at TiE Rajasthan Chapter events for their entrepreneurial excellence, and biotechnology ventures have been featured at Global Bio India, the flagship biotechnology conclave organised by the DBT and BIRAC. In 2024, the institute’s innovations were also showcased at IInvenTiv, the national innovation festival of the Ministry of Education, where prototypes in affordable healthcare and sustainable technologies were highlighted.

Collaborations have also been established with national initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s deep-tech and green innovation ecosystem. IIT Jodhpur has served as an academic partner in the Green FinTech Hackathon conducted by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) to promote technology-driven financial solutions addressing climate and sustainability challenges. The institute has further participated in the DST–IIT Madras Deep Tech Program, which connects IITs and research parks to mentor start-ups in artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced materials, and semiconductor technologies.

Regular engagements with leading scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders have been facilitated by the institute to build a strong innovation network. Annual innovation conclaves and roundtable discussions have been organised with the participation of representatives from the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Education, and the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub. These interactions have been aimed at aligning research and entrepreneurship efforts with national innovation priorities and strengthening the policy interface for start-ups.

Through its continuous initiatives, IIT Jodhpur has been positioned as a national hub for technology-led entrepreneurship. By combining cutting-edge research, institutional support, and collaborative partnerships, the institute has been contributing to transforming innovative ideas into scalable, impactful solutions that address India’s most pressing developmental and technological challenges.