IIT Bombay Launches Nagpur Startup Ecosystem Initiative

IIT Bombay's Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) has initiated a national Hub-and-Spoke program designed to fortify India's startup incubation infrastructure. This endeavor emphasizes structured institutional collaboration, knowledge exchange, and collective capacity building.

Nagpur has been chosen as the inaugural region for this initiative, marking the first step in developing a connected and cooperative startup ecosystem. A stakeholder meeting was convened in Nagpur, bringing together representatives from ten institutions to discuss the local startup landscape's strengths, opportunities, and challenges.

Prof. Milind Atrey of IIT Bombay highlighted that the initiative aims to translate research capabilities into entrepreneurial ventures by linking institutional strengths with incubation know-how, industry connections, and funding. SINE plans to replicate this model in other cities and states, broadening access to incubation support and resources for deep-tech ventures outside major startup centers.

Prof. Nishant Sharma stated that this collaborative approach empowers existing incubators, connects regional ecosystems, and provides startups with crucial capabilities and networks. Nagpur represents the first step in this national expansion effort.