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Faculty Founders: The Academic Engines Behind India’s Start-up Surge
Faculty Founders: The Academic Engines Behind India’s Start-up Surge

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India’s start-up boom has expanded beyond the story of young founders in garages or dorm rooms with college professors from academic institutions emerging as powerful engines of innovation, launching high-impact startups that span drones, biotech, AI, and electric mobility.

This rise is fuelled by rising support for entrepreneurship and a commitment to applying research to practical challenges, creating a unique win-win situation—for both the professors-turned-founders and the institutions they represent.

 

The Rise of Professor-Led Start-ups in India

Traditionally, academic research in India was confined to publications and patents. But now, we’re seeing a shift: professors are turning their lab work into scalable businesses, often with support from their institutions' incubation centres.

  • There has been a consistent 20–30% annual rise in startups founded by professors from top Indian institutions like IISc, IITs, IIITs, and BITS Pilani

A diagram of a company's logo

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Source: Economic Times, July 2025

 

Some of the illustrative examples of startups founded or mentored by Indian professors:

Start-up

Founding year

Sector

Founder / Co-Founder(s) & Affiliation

Key focus and Impact

IdeaForge

2007

Drone Technology

Ankit Mehta, Rahul Singh, Ashish Bhat - Student, IIT Bombay

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Prof. S. Sudarshan - Professor, IIT Bombay

Supplied UAVs to Indian defense and law enforcement. Successfully launched an IPO in 2023, highlighting significant commercial success. Raised IIT Bombay's stature as a defense-tech innovator through its SINE incubator.

Nanosafe Solutions

2019

Healthcare & Textiles

Prof. Bipin Kumar, Professor, IIT Delhi

Developed NSafe, India’s first reusable antiviral mask during COVID-19. Showcased IIT Delhi's capability in rapid-response innovation during crises.

String Bio

2013

Biotechnology

Dr. Ezhil Subbian - Researcher , Connected with IISc’s Foundation for Science  Innovation and Development incubation centre

Dr. Vinod Kumar, Student, IIT Delhi

Converts methane into sustainable protein for agriculture and animal feed. Reinforced IISc's position in synthetic biology and clean tech

Ather Energy

2013

Electric Vehicles

Tarun Mehta, Swapnil Jain - Student, IIT Madras

Mentored by Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala at IIT Madras

IIT Madras’ incubation centre earned Rs 50 crore from its success. A leading Indian EV manufacturer.

Agnikul Cosmos

2017

Space Tech

Srinath Ravichandran, Student, IIT Madras & University of Illinois Urbana

Moin SPM, Student, IIT Madras

Janardhana Raju, Veteran in aerospace engineering (formerly ISRO)

Satya Chakravarthy, Professor, IIT Madras

Scaling up as a deep tech startup in space technology, focusing on mini launch vehicles. Showcases direct professor involvement in co-founding ventures

ePlane

2019

Aerospace

Satya Chakravarthy, Professor, IIT Madras

Pranjal Mehta, Student, IIT Madras

Focuses on hybrid aerial vehicles and air taxis.

Pure EV

2015

Electric Vehicles

Dr. Nishanth Dongari ,        Associate Professor,  IIT Hyderabad

Rohit Vadera, Entrepreneur, IIT Hyderabad incubation ecosystem

Scaling up in the electric two-wheeler and battery technology space. Exemplifies successful commercialization of research out of leading institutions.

Algorithmic Biologics

2021

Molecular Diagnostics

Manoj Gopalkrishnan,      Professor, IIT Bombay

Nidhi Mathur, Venture partner, Axilore Ventures

Launched in 2021 after his COVID-19-related research gained VC interest. Represents a shift from academic publishing to entrepreneurial application of scientific research ("explored something on the entrepreneurial side").

Curadev

2010

Biotech / Pharma

Dr.Arjun Surya, Student & Researcher, IIT Kanpur incubation ecosystem

Manish Tandon, Student, IIT Kanpur

Developed cancer-treatment drugs and achieved profitable exits. A strong example of deep science commercialization in healthcare from an academic hub.

Mindgrove Technologies

2021

Semiconductor

Shashwath T.R., Sharan Srinivas J - Student, IIT Madras

Prof. Chetan Singh Thakur, Professor, IISc Bangalore

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Current Director of IIT Madras, Mentor to founders

India's first indigenous chip design startup. A critical step in India's semiconductor self-reliance, emerging from the robust IIT Madras ecosystem.

Solinas

2018

Robotics / Cleanliness

Divanshu Kumar, Moinak Banerjee, Student - IIT Madras

Dr. Krishnan Balasubramanian, Dr.  Prabhu Rajagopal, Professor, IIT Madras

Tackles manual scavenging through robotics. Addresses a significant social and environmental challenge with deep tech.

Ananant Systems

2023

Communication Chips

Chitu Singh, Student, IIT Kanpur & University of Texas

Sarita Singh, Incubation Management, Startup incubation and innovation centre at IIT Kanpur

At the forefront of communication chip design in India, specifically for 5G or 6G domains. Highlights IIT Kanpur's focus on cutting-edge product-driven innovation.

xTerra Robotics

2023

Robotics

Aditya Rajawat -Student, IIT Kanpur

Amritanshu Manu, Nimesh Khandelwal, Avinash Bhashkar - Ph. D. Scholar, IIT Kanpur

Builds unmanned ground robots, including robotic dogs used for tasks such as bomb disposal and intelligence gathering in challenging environments.

VU Dynamics

2022

Chemical Drones

Dr. Subrahmanyam Saderla, Professor, IIT Kanpur

Specializes in chemical drones equipped with autonomous target acquisition, path planning, and execution capabilities. Another example of faculty-led, product-focused deep tech.

AlgoBotix Pvt. Ltd.

2023

Aerospace & Robotics

Prof. Debasish Ghose, Professor, IISc Bangalore

Onkar Chopra, Student, IISc Bangalore

An FSID IISc-incubated startup focusing on aerial robotics, offering software solutions to UAV platform manufacturers, service providers, and defense establishments.

OrbitAID

2021

Space Deep Tech

Sakthikumar R,  Mano Balaji K - Researchers, IISc Bangalore

Nikhil Balasubramanian, Student, IISc Bangalore

Developing sustainable in-orbit refueling solutions and aims to create a “Fuel Station in Space.” Reinforces IISc's leadership in advanced space technologies.

ABX3PV Private Limited

2023

Renewable Energy

Dr. Laxman Gouda, Senior Scientist/Researcher, IISc Bangalore

Prof. Aditya Sadhanala, Prof. Sushobhan
Avasthi -
Assistant Professors IISc Bangalore

Prof. Praveen C Ramamurthy - Professor, IISc Bangalore

Dr. Gangadhar
Rao, Industry Expert

Committed to developing next-generation perovskite solar cell modules, positioning itself as an end-to-end technology provider for high-efficiency solar cells in India's renewable energy landscape.

AGNIT Semiconductors

2019

Semiconductors

  • Dr. Hareesh Chandrasekar, Researcher, PhD from IISc Bangalore
  • (Late) Dr. Muralidharan Rangarajan, Visiting Professor/mentor IISc Bangalore
  • Dr. Srinivasan Raghavan, Professor, IISc Bangalore

Dr. Madhusudan Atre, Visiting Scientist, CeNSE, IISc Bangalore

  • Prof. Digbijoy Neelim Nath, Assistant Professor, CeNSE, IISc Bangalore
  • Dr. Mayank Shrivastava, Professor, Division of EECS, IISc Bangalore
  • Prof. Shankar Kumar Selvaraja, Assistant Professor, CeNSE, Bangalore 

(No Student is involved)

Designs and manufactures Gallium Nitride (GaN) materials (wafers) and electronic components for radio-frequency applications, particularly for defense and telecommunication industries.

Bellatrix Aerospace

2015

Space Technology

Rohan M Ganapathy, Researcher, IISc Bangalore

Yashas Karanam, Student, SJCE

Specializes in new-age technologies for in-space mobility, including electric propulsion, green propulsion, and orbital transfer vehicles.

Botloka

2021

Robotics & AI

Pooja Ravishankar, e-commerce professional (Incubated at IISc's FSID)

Focuses on consumer robotics and AI solutions, with its first product being a home convenience robot. Aims to be India's first consumer robotics company developing end-to-end platform tech.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Tracxn; LinkedIn; Company Websites

 

What’s in it for the Founders?

For the professors and researchers who venture into the startup world, the benefits are profound:

  • Real-World Impact: Years of research finally see public adoption—beyond the lab and journal.
  • Access to Talent and Infrastructure: Labs, bright students, and cutting-edge equipment help accelerate prototyping.
  • Equity and Royalties: Institutes often offer fair IP-sharing models, letting founders gain from commercialization.
  • Professional Visibility: Entrepreneurship adds a new dimension to an academic career—opening doors to policy influence, awards, and industry roles.

 

How Do Academic Institutions Benefit?

Universities and institutes aren't just passive supporters—they gain tremendously from fostering entrepreneurship and pushing faculty to commercialise their research:

  • Enhanced Reputation: Success stories boost institutional credibility worldwide.
  • Industry Collaborations: Successful startups build bridges to real-world problems, leading to joint research, hiring, and consulting.
  • Financial Returns: Through royalties, equity, and grants, institutes also benefit financially.
  • Student Engagement: Startups offer students unique exposure to innovation, internships, and future employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
  • Culture of Innovation: The more success the ecosystem sees, the more it inspires faculty and students alike.

 

The Flywheel Effect

India’s professors and researchers are no longer just educators —they are now entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers. As more academic institutions nurture this mindset, we’ll see a new wave of deep-tech and science-first startups that don’t just chase valuations—but deliver real value.

 
  A diagram of a diagram

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

 

 

Overall, the synergy between academia and start-ups is not just good economics—it's smart nation-building.

 


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Neha Jain
Senior Analyst

Neha Jain

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