Karnataka government Innoverse selects seven deeptech startups for scale-up programme

The Karnataka government's Innoverse initiative has selected its first cohort of seven growth-stage deeptech startups for a nine-month scale-up programme designed to push them into national and global markets.

The initiative, run by the state's IT and BT department, is targeting startups that have already proven their technology and found early market traction, but are hitting barriers when trying to deploy at scale.

The seven selected companies span aerospace, biotech, space-tech, defence, and autonomous systems. They are:

• AquaAirX Autonomous Systems (aerospace and defence)
• Fibroheal Woundcare (biotechnology)
• Hyspace Technologies (space technology)
• OptM Media Solutions (defence technology)
• SpaceFields (space and propulsion)
• UNMANND Autonomy (autonomous systems)
• Yaanendriya (navigation and sensing)

What the programme offers

The Deeptech Enabler programme aims to bridge the gap between early-stage validation and large-scale commercial success. Startups at this stage often struggle to find anchor customers, navigate complex regulatory approvals, access specialised manufacturing infrastructure, and secure growth capital.

To address this, Innoverse will design a tailored engagement plan for each company. The programme will provide direct assistance with market access, capital mobilisation, policy navigation, and scale-up infrastructure.

Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Minister for IT and BT, said the state’s next big challenge is helping homegrown startups transition from technology development to sustained commercial growth. "By bringing together industry, infrastructure, capital, markets, and policy support around these companies, we can create stronger pathways for Karnataka-born technologies to scale nationally and globally," Kharge said.

Pravin Hungund, CEO of the Innoverse Foundation, added that commercial scale requires more than just capital; startups need active customer pipelines, regulatory pathways, and strong ecosystem partnerships.

Financial targets and ecosystem depth

The initiative has set ambitious performance metrics. Alongside the Deeptech Enabler, Innoverse is launching the Connect Programme for early-revenue startups. Together, these programmes aim to double the combined annual revenue of participating companies from Rs 35 crore to Rs 70 crore.

They also aim to help these startups raise more than Rs 300 crore in growth capital, doubling a baseline of about Rs 150 crore. Progress will be tracked through June 2027 based on revenue growth, capital raised, anchor-customer contracts, certifications, and successful entries into international markets.

Karnataka currently holds a dominant position in India's deeptech sector. According to Innoverse, the state is home to 2,610 deeptech companies. Of these, 897 are funded and have collectively raised approximately $4.6 billion. This ecosystem is supported by 204 incubators, which include 16 centres of excellence and over 50 technology business incubators.