The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has launched a new School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to strengthen its efforts in supporting deep-tech startups. According to an official statement, the goal is to create a "world-class ecosystem" and establish the institute as a global leader in entrepreneurship.

India’s largest deep-tech startup hub

IIT Madras currently hosts India’s largest deep-tech startup ecosystem, having incubated over 475 startups with a combined valuation of more than Rs 50,000 crore (around USD 6 billion). These startups have created over 11,000 jobs, filed 700+ patents, and attracted over Rs 12,000 crore in funding.

With the new School, the institute plans to expand these efforts by offering both academic and financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Academic programmes and new initiatives

The School will offer a variety of academic options:

- Minor in Entrepreneurship
- MS (Master of Science) in Entrepreneurship
- PhD programme
- Innovation doctorate (industry-focused)

A key feature of the new School is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) programme, designed to support professionals returning to academia to build start-ups.

The School also plans to launch dedicated funding mechanisms for early-stage and scaling-up support, as well as run regular Intellectual Property (IP) clinics to help students protect their innovations.

The new School will operate under the umbrella of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, headed by Prof Anbarasu Manivannan, who described the initiative as a significant step for global academia:

Building on a strong foundation

The School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship builds on many of IIT Madras' existing efforts:
- The Centre for Innovation (CFI): One of India’s largest student-run maker spaces
- The Nirmaan pre-incubator: Supported successful startups like GalaxEye Space
- Student forums like Tech-Soc and the Entrepreneurship Cell

Further support comes from:
- The Gopalakrishnan Deshpande Centre (GDC): Helps researchers develop entrepreneurial mindsets
- The RuTAG Cell: Focuses on rural and social innovations

These initiatives have already fostered a strong culture of innovation, which the new School now aims to elevate further.