Consortium-Driven Innovation Model Pioneered By IIT Madras Enables Immediate And Appropriate Technology Commercialisation
New Delhi, Delhi, 15th of February, 2026: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, recently visited the Immersive Technology and Entrepreneurship Labs (ITEL) Foundation at IIT Madras Research Park. During his visit, he reviewed ongoing projects that span various sectors, including urban mobility, space technology, medical devices, and brain research.
Highlights of the Visit
Dr. Jitendra Singh praised the consortium-driven innovation model developed by IIT Madras, which facilitates immediate and appropriate commercialization of technology. He noted that this model is increasingly being adopted by other academic institutions and universities across India.
ITEL Foundation
The ITEL Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit entity recognized by the Department of Science and Technology, was established in July 2024. Its mission is to position India as a global technology leader by nurturing deep-tech startups and building industry-academia consortia. This model brings together academic institutions, industry leaders, and investors to co-develop technologies and transfer them directly to the commercial sector.
Industry Participation
During his interactions with researchers and startup founders, Dr. Singh emphasized that the consortium approach, where industry participation begins at the development stage, ensures that innovations are aligned with real-world needs. This integrated working model enables faster translation of research outcomes into deployable solutions.
Key Projects Demonstrated
Among the notable projects showcased during the visit was the HASHTIC mobility initiative. This project aims to address severe traffic congestion in Indian cities by making a 15-kilometre urban commute possible in about 20 minutes. The initiative utilizes AI-enabled, small-format electric mobility systems operating on elevated tracks above existing roads.
HASHTIC Mobility Initiative
The HASHTIC project is designed to provide point-to-point connectivity in congested metropolitan areas, significantly reducing travel time and easing pressure on road infrastructure. The development team highlighted that the system is specifically tailored for Indian urban conditions, focusing on affordability, scalability, and sustainability.
Agnikul Cosmo
Dr. Jitendra Singh also reviewed the work of Agnikul Cosmo, a private space technology startup incubated within the IIT Madras ecosystem. Agnikul specializes in building launch vehicles that offer flexible and on-demand satellite launches. On May 30, 2024, the company successfully launched its first mission with support from IN-SPACe and ISRO, demonstrating its core technology. Agnikul is now preparing for a commercial mission of its reusable rocket later this year.
Startup Incubation and Support
The Minister visited the IIT Madras Incubation Cell, which has successfully incubated over 500 startups across various domains, including climate-tech, healthcare, deep-tech, and AI-driven solutions. The incubation cell provides essential support, including mentorship, access to laboratories, funding, and industry networks, enabling startups to transition from prototype to market-ready products.
Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC)
At the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC), Dr. Singh was briefed on the development of affordable, indigenous medical devices through collaborations involving around 40 medical institutions, industry partners, and government agencies. Since its inception in 2011, with seed support from the Department of Biotechnology, HTIC has led to the creation of 12 commercially successful Made-in-India products that have reached over two crore patients in India and abroad. The centre focuses on addressing unmet clinical needs and reducing dependence on imported medical technologies.
Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre
The visit also included the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre, where researchers are generating large-scale, cell-resolution digital 3D images of whole human brains. This initiative marks the first time such extensive human brain image data at this resolution has been generated in India. The Centre’s second trimester human fetal brain atlas project, titled “DHARANI,” has significantly advanced brain mapping research and attracted collaboration from leading international institutions.
Conclusion
Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that these initiatives illustrate how coordinated efforts among academia, industry, and government can accelerate technology development in areas that directly impact citizens, such as urban mobility, healthcare, space, and neuroscience. He highlighted that linking research institutions with industry requirements from the outset strengthens India’s innovation ecosystem and enhances the country’s capacity to develop indigenous technologies aligned with national priorities.
The visit concluded with discussions involving faculty, researchers, and entrepreneurs, focusing on scaling up successful models and replicating such collaborative frameworks across other institutions in the country.
Note: This article summarizes the key points from Dr. Jitendra Singh’s visit to IIT Madras and highlights the innovative consortium-driven model that is shaping India’s technological landscape.
