India’s defense, drone, and space sectors are entering a decisive decade. Driven by aggressive indigenisation mandates and a rapidly expanding private space economy, a new generation of deeptech founders is emerging; founders who possess exceptional technical prowess but require structured support to build investable, scalable enterprises.
i-Hub Gujarat is firmly positioning itself at the center of this shift. Through the TattvaX Acceleration Program in partnership with India’s leading deep tech enabler platform- SanchiConnect, i-Hub continues to identify and back founders building in these strategically critical sectors, ensuring the state remains at the forefront of India’s next wave of industrial transformation.
Building the Foundation: A Strategic Path Forward
Looking ahead, the partnership between i-Hub Gujarat and SanchiConnect is accelerating its momentum. Moving beyond the TattvaX program, the two entities are launching a series of sectoral accelerators aligned with strategic state priorities, with active initiatives in the Drone and Aerospace sectors already underway. By driving innovation showcases and deepening connections between startups, investors and diverse stakeholders ranging from state police departments and Municipal Corporations to regional PSUs, the partnership is effectively creating the pipelines necessary for indigenous technology to move from the lab to large-scale deployment.
SanchiConnect: Engineering Micro-Ecosystems
Central to this success is SanchiConnect’s commitment to building hyper-focused micro-ecosystems. By partnering with state governments, industry associations, and leading incubation centers, SanchiConnect is constructing the critical infrastructure required to support tech-led startups. This model bridges the gap between raw innovation and market readiness, providing a collaborative environment where startups can engage with industry buyers, investors, and policymakers to create scalable, real-world solutions.
“Our vision with TattvaX transcends standard acceleration; we are building a robust support system that empowers deeptech founders to solve hard, strategically important problems,” said Hiranmay Mahanta, CEO, i-Hub Gujarat. “By actively promoting indigenous technology adoption within the SME ecosystem, we are not just nurturing individual startups, we are cultivating resilient local markets that provide the essential testing ground for home-grown innovation to scale and compete globally.”
“What truly differentiates this cohort is the clarity of the problems these founders are choosing to solve,” said Dr. Sunil K. Shekhawat, CEO, SanchiConnect. “Our primary focus has been to bridge the gap between cutting-edge R&D, private capital and the SME ecosystem. By ensuring our founders are ready with the fundamentals- story, numbers, and market insight, we are actively generating local demand for indigenous technology, turning the SME sector into a launchpad for the startups that will define India’s self-reliant future.”
The success of the recent Demo Day, where 30 startups spent 2 days over 20 investors and corporate leaders, underscores the strength of this model and the potential for a deeper, more tech-integrated economy in Gujarat and beyond.
