The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre, SIIC IIT Kanpur has crossed the mark of incubating more than 500 startups, becoming among the first IIT-led incubators in India to hit this scale. The 25-year-old incubator, set up in 2000 in collaboration with SIDBI, says the milestone reflects a sustained focus on translating research into market-ready ventures that solve real-world problems.
SIIC IIT Kanpur: An incubator built for scale and impact
SIIC’s portfolio today spans medtech, IoT, AI/ML, clean tech, agritech, social tech, defence & aerospace, cybersecurity, and fintech, creating a pipeline for deep-tech founders who build in India and scale to global markets. Leadership from IIT Kanpur and its Foundation for Innovation & Research in Science & Technology (FIRST) board marked the milestone alongside SIIC’s management, acknowledging the centre’s role in India’s startup economy.
“Crossing the milestone of incubating over 500 startups is a testament to IIT Kanpur’s commitment to fostering innovation for national development,” said Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, noting SIIC’s efforts to bridge research with real-world application.
By the numbers
- ₹12,000 crore: Approximate combined valuation raised by SIIC-nurtured startups through fundraising.
- 150+: Women-led companies supported by the SIIC ecosystem.
- 10,829+ jobs: Employment generated by the top 253 SIIC startups, with a footprint across 22 Indian states.
Standout success stories
- Offgrid Energy Labs: Raised $15 million (Series A) to scale its proprietary zinc-bromine battery (ZinGel), pitched as a cleaner alternative to lithium-ion storage.
- Primary Healthtech: Scaling Mobilab, an IoT-enabled, AI-powered point-of-care blood testing device, supported by India’s Technology Development Board.
- Lifeandlimb.ai and AgrowSure: Selected for the Commonwealth Startup Fellowship in the UK, showcasing affordable prosthetics and climate-resilient agri-machinery.
- Royal Bengal Greentech Pvt. Ltd.: Secured 3× its expected funding commitment from Rayzon Solar after a Shark Tank India pitch.
Global pathways, local roots
In 2025, SIIC broadened global access for founders via a partnership with NMexus, a US-based accelerator offering international market entry and regulatory guidance, benefitting startups such as Aethrone Aerospace. The tie-up underscores SIIC’s role as both a national platform and a springboard for global ambitions.
Prof. Deepu Philip, Professor-In-Charge, SIIC, said the milestone reflects the “resilience and ingenuity” of founders and the centre’s model of mentorship, funding, infrastructure, and networks for deep-tech entrepreneurs.
Building Aatmanirbhar Bharat
For India’s Make in India, Vocal for Local, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat priorities, SIIC’s trajectory offers a template: anchor deep-tech within academia, remove the translation gap between lab and market, and back inclusive entrepreneurship at scale. The incubator’s track record with women-led ventures, statewide job creation, and sector diversity points to a model that blends technology intensity with broad-based economic impact.
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