The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) will participate in Bharat Innovates 2026, an international technology showcase organised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, in Nice, France, from June 14 to 16.
The event aims to identify, mentor and showcase technology ventures emerging from higher education institutions and centrally funded technical institutes. It is expected to bring together innovators, investors, policymakers, industry representatives, research organisations and technology partners from different countries.
IIT Madras will lead two of the event's 13 thematic areas — Blue Economy and Next-Generation Communications — and will showcase 15 startups incubated at the institute. The institute will also present research projects spanning Hyperloop technology, lab-grown diamonds, 5G and 6G communications, port automation and low-compute indigenous artificial intelligence systems.
Speaking about the event, Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “The India–France Year of Innovation 2026 and Bharat Innovates 2026 are expected to open new opportunities for collaboration between IIT Madras and French universities, research labs, startups and industries. The Institute is excited to take part in the event, which opens up opportunities for joint research in 6G technologies, shared testbeds, standards development, startup partnerships, technology transfer and talent exchange programmes.”
Prof Manu Santhanam, Dean (Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research), IIT Madras, said, “Through its participation at Bharat Innovates 2026, IIT Madras aims to demonstrate India’s growing leadership in deep-tech innovation, strategic technologies and globally relevant research-driven entrepreneurship. This platform will provide great exposure for our start-ups and create greater opportunities for university collaborations with leading French institutions.”
The Blue Economy theme is being led by Prof K Murali, Head, National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC), IIT Madras, while the Next-Generation Communications theme is led by Prof. Radhakrishna Ganti, Faculty, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras.
Focus on Communications Technologies
The communications segment will highlight developments in 5G and 6G technologies. IIT Madras-incubated startups such as REIO Systems, Astrome Technologies and WiSig Networks will showcase work related to software-defined radio platforms, wireless backhaul systems and Open RAN-based telecommunications solutions.
Blue Economy Applications
Under the Blue Economy theme, startups working on maritime technologies and sustainable materials will be featured.
Planys Technologies will present underwater inspection systems that use remotely operated vehicles, autonomous technologies and AI-assisted diagnostics for maritime and offshore infrastructure. Another startup, Zerocircle, will showcase seaweed-based natural polymer materials developed as alternatives to conventional plastic packaging.
Strategic Technologies
Among the major research initiatives being showcased is Hyperloop technology. IIT Madras serves as the Centre of Excellence for Hyperloop Technology designated by the Ministry of Railways. The institute's incubated startup, TuTr Hyperloop, has demonstrated technologies including linear induction motor propulsion, electromagnetic levitation and vacuum tube operations at the IIT Madras Discovery Campus.
The institute will also present work undertaken by the Indian Centre for Lab Grown Diamonds (InCent LGD), including laser-based marking technologies that enable invisible QR codes and authentication features within diamonds without affecting their structural properties.
Research related to diamond-based semiconductors, radiation detectors and quantum technology applications will also be displayed.
In addition, NTCPWC will showcase technologies being developed for port automation, including intelligent cargo-handling systems, predictive maintenance tools, IoT-enabled monitoring and digital twin applications aimed at improving maritime infrastructure.
IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation will present its work on domain-specific Small Language Models (SLMs) designed for low-compute, energy-efficient AI applications intended for large-scale deployment.