Launch of DeepVerse Centre for DeepTech Innovation

On 6 October 2026, Startup Policy Forum (SPF) announced the launch of DeepVerse, its Centre for DeepTech Innovation, in New Delhi. DeepVerse is positioned as a multi‑stakeholder platform intended to accelerate India’s deep‑technology ecosystem through collaboration, policy dialogue and research.

Advisory Board Composition

DeepVerse is guided by an 18‑member Advisory Board comprising investors, founders, policymakers, academia and global technology leaders. The investor representatives are Prashanth Prakash (Partner, Accel India), Anjali Bansal (Founding Partner, Avaana Capital), Pankaj Mitra (Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners), Anandamoy Roychowdhary (Managing Director, Crane Ventures), Sateesh Andra (Managing Director, Endiya Partners), Anand Prasanna (Managing Partner, Iron Pillar), Hemant Mohapatra (Partner, Lightspeed), Vishesh Rajaram (Managing Partner, Speciale Invest) and Ishpreet Singh Gandhi (Founder & CEO, Stride Asset Management). Founder representatives include Naman Pushp (Founder & CEO, Airbound), Tarun Mehta (Co‑founder & CEO, Ather Energy), Pawan Chandana (Co‑Founder & CEO, Skyroot Aerospace) and Anirudh Sharma (Founder & CEO, Digantara). Policy, academia and global‑tech members are Dr. Panneerselvam Madanagopal (CEO, MeitY Startup Hub), Dr. B. Chagun Basha (Chief Policy Adviser, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India), Shweta Rajpal Kohli (President & CEO, Startup Policy Forum), Dr. D. Premachandra Sagar (Pro‑Chancellor, Dayananda Sagar University) and Aditi Nanda (Director of Ecosystem and Industry, Intel India).

Investor Participation

Ten leading venture‑capital firms have joined DeepVerse to promote the deep‑tech ecosystem: Accel India, Lightspeed, Bessemer Venture Partners, Speciale Invest, Endiya Partners, Crane Ventures, Avaana Capital, Iron Pillar, Stride Asset Management and Beenext.

Focus Sub‑Sectors

The Centre will concentrate on ten deep‑tech sub‑sectors: semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, space‑tech, quantum technology, defence technology, biotech & health‑tech, cleantech & energy, drones & aerospace, electric vehicles and robotics.

#100DesiDeepTechs Initiative Background

DeepVerse builds on the #100DesiDeepTechs initiative, a national effort developed with MeitY Startup Hub, Startup India (DPIIT) and IIT Madras. The initiative identified India’s 100 leading deep‑tech startups in May 2026, was announced in July 2025, and formally launched at TiECON Delhi in October 2025. Over eight months, SPF hosted DeepTech Baatcheet sessions in Delhi and Bengaluru, where Advisory Board members chaired dialogues on regulation, capital access, talent and global expansion.

Membership Tiers

DeepVerse structures its membership into three tiers:

  • Deep Core: includes Accel, Airbound, Ather Energy, Avaana Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Cars24, Crane Ventures, Dayananda Sagar University, Digantara, Endiya Partners, Intel, Iron Pillar, Lightspeed, Speciale Invest and Stride Asset Management.
  • Deep Circle: comprises Alteon, Aspera, Beenext, Gabit, General Autonomy, Meta, Newtrace, Pronto, River and Yulu.
  • Patrons: consist of CarDekho Group, Global Education Lab, Sarvam, Scaler and SQ1.

Upcoming Policy Report

DeepVerse will soon release an extensive report outlining policy actionables for the ten focus sectors, aiming to give deep‑tech founders a sustained voice in shaping India’s technology policy.

Quotes

"Congratulations to Startup Policy Forum on the launch of DeepVerse, Centre for DeepTech Innovation. A strong, multi‑stakeholder approach is key to growing India's deeptech ecosystem. Great to see DeepVerse bringing together founders, investors, academia and government to take India's deeptech ambitions forward," said S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.

"India has the founders and, increasingly, the capital for world‑class deeptech. Policy has to catch up. When companies take a decade to build, founders and investors need rules they can plan around, and a say in making them. DeepVerse institutionalises that voice," said Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO, Startup Policy Forum.

About Startup Policy Forum

Startup Policy Forum is an independent, not‑for‑profit industry alliance representing more than 75 of India’s leading new‑age tech companies, with a combined valuation exceeding USD 100 billion. Its membership spans fintech, deep‑tech, consumer tech, health‑tech, ed‑tech and emerging technologies, including Groww, Zerodha, Razorpay, Pine Labs, Sarvam, Emergent, CRED, Meesho, Invideo, Digantara, Airbound, Snabbit, Pronto, Cars24 and many others. SPF operates across four pillars: policy advocacy, global visibility, community building and thought leadership.

Release Time: Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026, 15:36 IST