SPRINT North Edition: Accelerating India's Deeptech Startup Ecosystem

A significant milestone in India's startup journey unfolded on Friday with the launch of the SPRINT North Edition, part of IIT Ropar's ambitious '100 Startups 100 Days' initiative. Powered by IIT Ropar TIF and ANNAM.AI, alongside TBIF, the event was held at IILM University, Gurugram, drawing a mix of industry leaders, government officials, investors, entrepreneurs, and academics to bolster the deeptech startup ecosystem.

The program commenced with Dr. Radhika Trikha, CEO of IIT Ropar TIF, underscoring AWaDH's mission of fostering a deeptech ecosystem. Subsequently, Dr. Ravi Kumar Jain from IILM University delivered the welcome address, followed by insights from Dr. Mukesh Kestwal, CIO of IIT Ropar TIF, on the growth of AWaDH's flagship programs, SPRINT and 100 Startups 100 Days, which have expanded their portfolio to include over 160 startups. Esteemed speakers like Kishan Goenka and Tanushri Sharma addressed the gathering, with Pilot Neeraj Shekhawat from BJP Kisan Morcha also contributing to the dialogue.

The event's Chief Guest, Rekha Sharma, Member of Parliament, lauded IIT Ropar's swift advancements in nurturing startups. She noted the rapid expansion of SPRINT Haryana to Hyderabad and Gurugram, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives for positioning India as a leading innovator and entrepreneur globally. Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director of IIT Ropar, also highlighted the significance of '100 Startups 100 Days' in empowering entrepreneurs with speed and sustainability.

The day featured numerous highlights, including a cheque and certifications ceremony recognizing 13 selected startups and three GENESIS EIR innovators for their groundbreaking work. A high-level panel discussion explored global scaling opportunities for deeptech startups, with contributions from experts like Maya Sherman and Mayank Kumar, and insights from founders such as Dr. Preet Sandhu and Khalid Wani.

Exciting new initiatives were unveiled, including the AWaDH Progress Report, the DTC Accelerate - ClimateTech in partnership with NASSCOM, and updates on Bharat Innovate 2026. These efforts underscore the collective ambition to showcase India's top 100 innovations on a global stage. The event concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Prof. Saurabh Trivedi, highlighting the support from over 50 venture capital partners and numerous stakeholders across industry and government sectors.