The India Deep Tech Accelerator powered by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago aims to help Indian deep tech founders translate breakthrough innovations into globally competitive companies.
Developed by the Polsky Center in collaboration with leading Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) innovation networks and incubators, including SINE at IIT Bombay, FITT at IIT Delhi, and IIT Madras Research Park, the program focuses on supporting globally ambitious, IIT-affiliated startups as they sharpen customer positioning, strengthen investor narratives, and build momentum for near-term commercialization and financing milestones in the United States and other global markets.
Support will be provided by various investors including the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA), with over $2.5B in committed capital from its industry-led consortium of investors, corporates, and ecosystem stakeholders. Aroa Venture Partners will serve as an early conviction capital partner for select companies emerging from the accelerator, committing up to $200,000 per startup. Additionally, the UChicago-affiliated deep tech fund Harper Court Ventures and its Silicon Valley-based parent fund MFV Partners will support startups in the cohort with mentorship and potential investment. Finally, the deep-tech venture capital firm Speciale Invest, founded with the singular vision of backing and building India’s deep-science and deep-technology startups at the intersection of academia and industry will support the program.
The accelerator will run as a 10-week program from April through June 2026 and will be structured for a cohort of up to 15 startups through targeted workshops, coaching, and strategic customer and investor connections. The accelerator is also expected to align with key showcase moments, including an India showcase and a Bay Area showcase for top-performing companies in June. Startups participating will be expected to demonstrate strong commercial potential, global ambition, and readiness to pursue U.S. market opportunities.