Innovation Day at IIT Madras Zanzibar bridges African entrepreneurship with Indian research

Bridging the innovation corridors of Asia and Africa, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Zanzibar recently hosted Zanzibar Innovation Day in partnership with IITM Global. The event, held on October 4, at the Zanzibar campus, was designed to strengthen cross-continental collaboration between Indian and African entrepreneurs.

The platform spotlighted eleven start-ups from India and Tanzania, spanning sectors such as artificial intelligence, space technology, clean energy, water access, digital finance and inclusive mobility.

Among the most notable outcomes was a commitment from GalaxEye, an IIT Madras-incubated space-tech start-up, to invest about USD 1,00,000 (≈ TZS 245 million) over five years to set up an AI and Satellite Research Lab at IITM Zanzibar. The two figures refer to the same commitment.

The event also witnessed six memoranda of understanding between IITM Zanzibar or IITM Global and innovators including Tousome, Asili Zanzibar, Touchwood, GalaxEye, Yali Mobility and Smart Lab, setting the stage for long-term collaboration in research and product development.

Inaugurating the IITM Global Center, the Chief Guest, Mr Khamis Abdulla Said, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Zanzibar, emphasised the importance of global partnerships in building innovation-driven economies.

Prof Preeti Aghalayam, Director-in-Charge, IITM Zanzibar, said the event demonstrated how academic, corporate and government ecosystems could align to build a sustainable start-up culture in the region. Mr Thirumalai Madhavnarayan, Chief Executive Officer, IIT Madras Global, described the day as a milestone in taking the institute’s research and innovation ecosystem worldwide.

Four start-ups from India and seven from Tanzania participated in the day-long programme, which featured keynote addresses, expert panels and a start-up pitch arena. The outcomes, organisers said, are expected to bolster policy-level cooperation, increase investor interest and position Zanzibar as an emerging innovation hub for the African continent.