NITI Aayog and STPI Convene GCC Conclave on Innovation 2026
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog, in partnership with Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), convened the GCC Conclave on Innovation 2026 in Bengaluru on June 30, 2026. The event brought together Global Capability Centre (GCC) leaders, R&D heads, innovation leaders, startup ecosystem enablers, incubators, and policymakers to explore pathways for deeper collaboration in India's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Participant Organizations and Ecosystem Representation
The conclave witnessed participation from leadership representatives of leading GCCs and technology organizations including Intel, IBM, Bosch, Amazon, SAP, Thermo Fisher Scientific, CGI, Shell, Mercedes-Benz, Philips, Morgan Stanley, NVIDIA, Samsung, SanDisk, Wipro, Yahoo, and several other multinational enterprises. The event also included representatives from Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), AIM-supported incubators - Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) and Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs), STPI Centres of Entrepreneurship, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), and various ecosystem stakeholders.
Strategic Objectives and Economic Context
The event was organized with the objective of creating stronger linkages between India's innovation ecosystem and GCCs, while exploring opportunities for collaboration across AIM's innovation lifecycle. Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General of STPI, revealed that India's GCC ecosystem comprises over 2,100 centres generating nearly USD 100 billion in revenue. He emphasized STPI's role as a foundational enabler since 1991, building technology infrastructure, policy framework, and ecosystem connectivity that made India the world's foremost destination for global capability development.
Leadership Perspectives and Vision
Mission Director Deepak Bagla of AIM, NITI Aayog, emphasized the critical role of GCCs in shaping India's innovation-led growth story, referencing the Prime Minister's vision of 'Jai Anusandhan' as the driving force of a developed India. He noted that AIM has built India's innovation pipeline through 10,000+ established Atal Tinkering Labs and 100+ incubators supporting startups and grassroot innovators. Dr. Sanjay Tyagi, Director of STPI Bengaluru, highlighted that Bengaluru hosts India's most vibrant concentration of GCCs and that STPI Bengaluru has provided technology infrastructure, compliance support, and policy enablement for over three decades.
Key Discussion Themes and Collaboration Framework
The conclave featured focused discussions around four key themes: Reimagining School Innovation through Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), Catalyzing Innovation to Enterprise through AICs and ACICs, Driving Innovation at Scale through AIM's Industrial Accelerator Initiative (AACESS), and Industry-Led Innovation through Joint Accelerator Platforms and STPI Centres of Entrepreneurship. Participants discussed opportunities for GCCs to engage with AIM-supported innovators through mentorship, technology validation, pilot deployments, challenge-led innovation programs, market access pathways, and co-creation of sector-focused accelerator programs.
AACESS Industrial Accelerator Program Initiative
A key focus area was AIM's upcoming AACESS Industrial Accelerator Program, which aims to strengthen startup-industry collaboration by enabling growth-stage startups to access industrial validation environments, pilot opportunities, industry mentorship, and commercialization pathways. AIM invited participating industries and GCCs to actively collaborate in shaping the program by sharing their ideas, engagement models, sectoral priorities, and pathways for contributing to startup scale-up, technology adoption, and innovation-led growth.
The event concluded with a commitment from stakeholders to continue engagement through structured consultations and collaborative initiatives aimed at accelerating innovation adoption, fostering entrepreneurship, and strengthening India's position as a global innovation and technology hub toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.