Deeptech Startups That Solve Real-World Problems
Rather than remain in silos, immerse in the entire ecosystem. This, in nutshell, seems to be the big message that NSRCEL – the startup incubator and accelerator of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) – has for startup founders working in complex, innovation-driven areas. Learn from the global playbooks, form the right partnerships and tap into the broader ecosystem to shorten the journey from lab to the market. Through its Velocity programme, NSRCEL is supporting founders beyond ideation offering the structure, mentorship, and networks needed to achieve product-market fit and drive market expansion. It has engaged with over 1,000 entrepreneurs and incubated 200 startups within just two years. Startups have collectively raised Rs 70 crore in funding and achieved Rs 330 crore+ in annual recurring revenue (ARR).
“As we look ahead, NSRCEL is deepening its focus on technology-led innovation that will drive India’s next wave of growth,” says Anand Sri Ganesh, the CEO. “We are particularly excited about emerging areas such as manufacturing, Industry 5.0, healthtech, drones, alternate energy, AI, and climatetech – sectors where forward-looking innovation is transforming industries,” he told FE.
Smartail is one such innovation, a deeptech firm that provides AI-powered assessment solutions for the education sector. Aslam Sherieff, the co-founder and chief growth officer, explains: “We started with a simple question, why should grading depend on subjectivity? With DeepGrade AI, we’ve built a solution that evaluates handwritten responses with consistency and insight, giving educators real data to understand student performance better.” The AI-powered platform automates the grading of various types of answers, including multiple-choice, descriptive text, diagrams, and more, while providing in-depth analytics to educators.
What began as an idea has now reached classrooms across India and beyond, from government schools to universities in the UK and Singapore. “We’ve completed over 100 pilots, earned paying customers, and were recognised among IndiaAI’s Top 10 AI startups. The journey has been about bringing fairness and speed to a process that defines a student’s future,” he adds.
From drones to air taxis
There’s Nautical Wings, an aviation tech firm focused on electric propulsion for drones and eVTOLs, the latter also known as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft “For decades, propulsion systems came from the West, even though they’re at the heart of every aircraft or drone,” says Vikas Kamath, co-founder and chief of operations, Nautical Wings. “When we started in 2020, our goal was simple yet ambitious – to make India self-reliant in propulsion technology. Our integrated electric propulsion units (iEPU) now bridge that gap, delivering systems from 1 kW to 2 MW for everything that flies – drones, air taxis, and electric aircraft,” he adds
Today, top players like ideaForge and Tata Advanced Systems use Nautical Wings’ technology. “Our dual-rotor axial motors achieve 11.5 kW/kg, and we’re targeting 25 kW/kg soon – one of the lightest, most efficient propulsion systems globally,” he adds.
Similarly, Ossus Biorenewables is proving that industry and ecology can coexist. It develops and deploys advanced bioreactors that generate green hydrogen from industrial effluents. “Our bio-electrochemical systems convert industrial waste into clean hydrogen and reusable water turning what was once waste into energy,” says Suruchi Ram, the cofounder & CEO.
The cleantech firm currently recycles over 10 million litres of wastewater each month and generates hydrogen at under Rs 200 per kilo. “Industries like ONGC and Sayaji have already adopted our technology, and we’re producing over 2,000 normal cubic metres daily. By 2026, our goal is to scale to 40 industrial sites, saving two billion litres of water and offsetting 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year,” says Ram, adding, “the response has been encouraging – industries now see sustainability not as a cost, but a growth driver.”
AI that brings precision to manufacturing & logistics
There’s also Jidoka Technologies that brings AI-driven accuracy to logistics operations by verifying barcodes, checking labels, and inspecting kit/packaging integrity at speed. “At Jidoka Technologies, we’ve always believed that quality shouldn’t be inspected in – it should be built in,” says the co-founder and CEO, Sekar Udayamurthy. “Our journey began with automating visual checks and evolved into what we call the Continuum of Vision Inspection AI Solutions, connecting product quality and process precision. Through tools like Kompass and Nagare, supported by our modular vision infrastructure, we’re helping manufacturers move closer to zero-defect operations,” he adds.
Today, this NSRCEL-incubated firm conducts over 300 million inspections daily across six industries, serving 48+ customers. “The adoption we’ve seen reinforces our belief that deep-tech can fundamentally transform Indian manufacturing. We need to nurture deeptech innovation – with patient investors, industry willing to adopt and adapt,strong mentorship networks, and a culture that celebrates experimentation and failure as much as success,” Udayamurthy adds.
An interesting venture is ADIS Technologies that aims to give every animal a digital identity, “just like humans have Aadhaar,” says Sujit Hukkerikar, the founder & CEO. “Using indigenous AI and biometric recognition, we scan an animal’s unique nose pattern to create a tamper-proof digital identity that solves deep-rooted challenges in the livestock sector – from fraudulent claims to poor traceability while empowering farmers with verifiable ownership,” he informs.
According to Hukkerikar, thousands of farmers across India are already using ADIS to prove ownership, access loans, and secure insurance faster than ever. “As we expand into Africa and the Middle East, our goal is to bring transparency and financial inclusion to global livestock markets,”
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