Established in 2002, the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) now known as IIMA Ventures has become one of India’s most influential platforms for early-stage innovation and entrepreneurship.
Anchored within the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), it has been instrumental in shaping the country’s startup ecosystem by supporting founders through incubation, acceleration, seed investments, research, and training.
At the heart of IIMA Ventures’ philosophy lies a clear vision: to harness India’s unique strengths, from its deep talent pool and vast data resources to its growing R&D ecosystem and supportive policy environment.
Its work zeroes in on three key focus areas: deeptech, climate tech, and digitisation, aiming to help startups move from concept to reality, reduce early risks, and build resilient ventures capable of scaling globally.
Over the years, the impact has been remarkable.
IIMA Ventures has mentored and coached over 30,000 founders, conducted accelerator programmes for 105+ cohorts and 2,200+ startups, and invested in more than 370 startups at pre-seed and seed stages. Collectively, these ventures have raised over USD 1 billion in follow-on capital.
Entrepreneurial Initiatives
To inspire and equip the next generation of entrepreneurs, IIMA offers a series of initiatives under its IIMAvericks umbrella. These include:
How to Start a Startup, featuring over 20 founders and investors sharing their journeys.
Courses and project-based learning across entrepreneurship, agribusiness, consumer tech, venture investing, and corporate innovation.
IIMAvericks Challenge, an on-campus idea competition for long-duration programmes.
IIMAvericks Internships, which provide students from PGP and PGP-FABM programmes with grants, prizes, and mentorship.
IIMAvericks Fellowship, the flagship initiative offering acceleration support and early-stage funding. Notable ventures such as Zouk, Finshots, and Culture Circle emerged from this programme, which has supported 30+ alumni-founded startups.
Notable Ventures Backed by IIMA
IIMA Ventures’ portfolio includes some of India’s most prominent startups, such as:
Ideaforge – Global leader in drone survey and analysis
RazorPay – India’s largest payment gateway
Agnikul – Pioneer in Indian space-tech
Chara – India’s first rare-earth free motor startup
Fourth Partner Energy – Leading solar EPC player
Tookitaki – Global anti-financial crime platform
Finshots – India’s largest financial literacy and news platform
Zouk – Vegan lifestyle brand from India
5C Network – Top radiology interpretation platform
Barrix – Agriculture pest management innovator
Guvi – India’s first vernacular edtech platform
Global Collaborations
Extending its influence beyond borders, IIM Ahmedabad has strengthened international linkages through collaborations with leading global institutions. Recent MoUs have been signed with:
Singapore Management University
Education New Zealand
Burgundy School of Business
Rome Business School
University of California, San Diego
Through these initiatives, ventures, and partnerships, IIM Ahmedabad continues to champion innovation and entrepreneurship, positioning itself as a global hub for nurturing ideas that can transform industries and impact lives.
