Startup Policy Forum has formed a DeepTech Advisory Board to support India’s deeptech sector.

The board includes investors, founders, policymakers, and academics from organizations such as Accel India, Avaana Capital, Ather Energy, and IIT Madras.

Startup Policy Forum is an industry group representing over 50 Indian startups across various sectors.

The board will guide the #100DesiDeepTechs initiative, which aims to identify and support 100 deeptech startups in fields like semiconductors, defence technology, quantum technology, green hydrogen, space, drones, EVs, biotechnology, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.

IIT Madras will help curate the cohort, while policy input from these startups will be compiled by Ikigai Law and presented at the DeepTech Baithak.

The application deadline for #100DesiDeepTechs is August 25, 2025.

🔗 Source: Startup Policy Forum

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ India’s deeptech push builds on decades of startup ecosystem evolution

This advisory board represents the latest phase in India’s startup journey, which has evolved through three distinct waves since the 1980s.

The first wave focused on IT services starting in the 1980s with companies like Tata Consultancy Services, building a $180 billion industry1. The second wave around the mid-2010s saw consumer-focused unicorns like Ola and Zomato emerge, culminating in Walmart’s $22 billion acquisition of Flipkart1.

Now in the third wave, India is climbing the innovation curve with B2B models and deep-tech solutions1. However, India currently ranks 14th globally for deep tech startups, indicating significant room for growth compared to leaders like the United States, China, and the United Kingdom2.

Indian deep tech startups have raised $10 billion over five years, though funding declined in 2023, showing both the sector’s potential and current market volatility3.

The #100DesiDeepTechs initiative targeting semiconductors, quantum technologies, and space tech reflects India’s ambition to compete in cutting-edge domains where it historically lagged behind established markets.

2️⃣ Advisory boards provide critical scaling advantages that startups often lack internally

The formation of this high-powered advisory board addresses a fundamental challenge in startup growth: access to experienced guidance and networks.