New Delhi – Zoho Corporation co-founder Sridhar Vembu has invited researchers, faculty and startups from India’s higher education ecosystem to apply for participation in Bharat Innovates 2026, an international deep-tech showcase scheduled to be held in France in June next year.
In a post on social media platform X, Vembu urged innovators to highlight India’s growing deep-tech capabilities, saying, “It is time to tell the world about all the deep tech work happening across India.”
The last date for submitting applications is October 26, 2025, according to details shared by Vembu and the organisers.
Platform to showcase India’s deep-tech innovation
The Bharat Innovates 2026 programme has been launched by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to present India’s top 100 deep-tech innovations developed at universities, research labs and incubators.
The showcase will feature technologies across Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 3 to 9 and provide visibility to emerging ventures before global industry leaders, investors and policymakers.
Officials said the initiative is designed to represent India’s growing research-backed innovation ecosystem and highlight the scientific and entrepreneurial output from institutions such as the IITs, IISc and centrally funded technical institutes.
Selected innovators will receive strategic mentoring to refine their value propositions, connect with international collaborators, and gain access to investment opportunities and global markets.
Deep tech innovators from academic institutions and incubators in India should apply for the #BharatInnovates2026 innovation showcase in France to be held in June 2026.
Deadline Oct 26, 2025, so hurry.
It is time to tell the world about all the deep tech work happening across… https://t.co/rB5ckZIqqi
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) October 17, 2025
Who can apply for Bharat Innovates 2026
According to the Ministry, eligible applicants include student-faculty teams from higher education institutions linked to the MoE, research groups from centrally funded technical institutions, or startups incubated at technology innovation hubs or incubation centres under the ministry’s network.
Innovations that have already evolved into registered ventures must be legally incorporated in India, with Indian founders holding at least 51 per cent equity.
The government has been increasingly encouraging technology commercialisation from academic institutions, with new programmes focused on scaling indigenous research for global deployment.
Bharat Innovates 2026 is being positioned as a key step in that direction, offering visibility to Indian-origin technologies on an international platform.
Zoho, which has been a vocal proponent of India-led product development, has in recent months expanded its focus on homegrown technologies.
In September, the company announced plans to make its messaging platform Arattai interoperable, similar to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and email systems, as part of efforts to build globally competitive Indian digital products.
Vembu’s public appeal adds to a growing effort among technology leaders to integrate India’s deep-tech and academic innovation ecosystem with international markets and investors ahead of the 2026 showcase.
