The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar has launched a pre-summit initiative titled “100 Startups 100 Days”, positioning it as an acceleration push for India’s deep-tech startup pipeline ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The campus-led event is scheduled for December 16 at IIT Ropar, where participating startups are set to receive mentoring, technology resources and innovation support.
IIT Ropar is framing the programme as a feeder and momentum-builder for the India AI Impact Summit, which is slated for February 19–20, 2026 in New Delhi. The summit, according to the details cited by the organisers, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit and is being positioned as the first global Artificial Intelligence summit in the Global South.
In that context, the institute says the “100 Startups 100 Days” format is meant to strengthen India’s deep-tech innovation framework, by pushing entrepreneurs closer to product readiness, partnerships, and a global showcase moment.
Who attended the launch at IIT Ropar?
The launch was attended by a set of institutional and industry leaders, including Shrikant M. Vaidya (former CMD, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd), Adil Zainulbhai (Chairman, Capacity Building Commission and Chairman, Board of Governors at IIT Ropar), and Prof. Rajeev Ahuja (Director, IIT Ropar).
What startups can expect on December 16
Speaking to the media, Prof. Rajeev Ahuja said the initiative will support over 30 startups working in areas such as AgriTech, WaterTech, IoT, and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), with funding and investment opportunities on December 16, routed through programmes including GENESIS, DST NM-ICPS, and Startup India.
Alongside this, Dr. Pushpendra P. Singh, Project Director of iHub–AWaDH and Annam, described a broader umbrella of support touching over 100 startups, centred on an integrated model of mentoring, investment and acceleration services backed by IIT Ropar’s R&D facilities, faculty depth and industry linkages.
The partner ecosystem backing the programme
The support network listed for the initiative includes iHub AWaDH (a Technology Innovation Hub backed by the Department of Science and Technology), Annam.ai (a Centre of Excellence in AI for Agriculture supported by the Ministry of Education), and the IIT Ropar Technology Business Incubator Foundation (TBIF).
The collaboration list also includes the Embassy of Israel in India, Reichman University Runway Incubator, and UPES (Uttarakhand), among others.
IIT Ropar is explicitly aligning the “100 Startups 100 Days” build-up with national priorities such as Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital India, linking the startup acceleration mission to a larger goal of expanding India’s deep-tech capacity.
Also Read: Amazon to invest ₹3.11 lakh crore in India by 2030
