CENTRE FOR INNOVATION
AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
AT IIIT HYDERABAD
Fostering DeepTech Innovation
Cover story
IIIT Hyderabad R&D Showcase 2026 | Showcasing Research-Led Innovation
IIIT Hyderabad hosted its Annual R&D Showcase on March 14–15, 2026, bringing together a wide spectrum of research and innovation across domains such as AI, Robotics, Cybersecurity, VLSI, and Geospatial technologies. As a flagship event of the institute, the showcase reflected the depth and diversity of IIIT-H’s research ecosystem, presenting cutting-edge ideas, prototypes, and technologies that are shaping the future. Open to a broad audience, the event provided an interactive platform for visitors to engage directly with faculty and students through live demos, research presentations, and discussions, reinforcing the institute’s focus on applied, impact-driven research.
The 2026 edition, themed “Trust in Technology: Powered by Security, Privacy and Transparency,” featured over 300 research posters, demos, and models from 29 research centres at IIIT Hyderabad. The showcase also included confluences, research reflections, and a dedicated research startup showcase by CIE IIIT Hyderabad, highlighting the journey from lab-based innovation to real-world applications. The event underscored IIIT-H’s commitment to building trustworthy, scalable technologies while fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and the startup ecosystem.
Happenings @ CIE
Avishkar Strategy Days | March 2026
CIE IIIT Hyderabad conducted Avishkar Strategy Days as a focused initiative for startups to pause, reflect, and plan their next phase of growth. The sessions brought together founders, mentors, and the CIE team to discuss product–market fit, scaling strategies, and funding readiness. Startups refined their plans, identified key challenges, and gained clearer direction, with a strong outcome being a shift from early experimentation to more structured and focused execution.
Spotlight
Bioreform | Advancing Sustainable Alternatives
Bioreform, an IIIT Hyderabad incubated startup supported by AIC-IIITH, is developing biodegradable, plant-based alternatives to single-use plastics. Its flagship product, the “Greeny bag,” made from corn starch and biopolymers, offers a scalable and eco-friendly solution to plastic waste.
The startup has gained global recognition as a United Nations case study and has already replaced over 15 million single-use plastic items. It also secured second place among 300+ startups from 40 countries at an international competition. Backed by mentorship, funding, and research support, Bioreform highlights the strength of the IIIT Hyderabad ecosystem in building impactful, sustainability-driven innovations.
Call For Applications
Avishkar Venture Studio Summer Cohort 2026
CIE IIIT Hyderabad invites applications for the Avishkar Venture Studio, a 6-month intensive program designed for deep-tech and deep-IP startups at the PoC stage.
RootNode
A 3-month program that connects startups with IIIT Hyderabad’s research experts to tackle tech challenges. Get focused guidance, tech validation, and research-backed product support to strengthen your innovation.
Idea Validation Bootcamp
CIE IIIT Hyderabad invites you to the IVB before you invest months building your idea, invest one day validating it. The bootcamp helps you assess your idea’s market potential, scalability, and feasibility through expert feedback.
In News
IIIT Hyderabad Selects Six Startups For Climate Innovation Programme
The AIC-IIITH Foundation, the social technology incubator at the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad, has selected six startups for the fourth cohort of its social impact innovation programme focused on climate solutions.
The programme is being conducted in partnership with EPAM Systems and aims to support early-stage ventures working on technology-led approaches to address environmental challenges. The selected startups were shortlisted from a pool of more than 130 applicants through a multi-stage evaluation process.
Trust in Technology Takes Centre Stage at IIITH’s 25th R&D Showcase
The 25th edition of the annual R&D Showcase of the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad began at the institute’s Gachibowli campus. The two-day flagship event, which concluded on Sunday, has grown into one of the most anticipated research exhibitions, bringing together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers and students to explore advances in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, algorithms, robotics and digital public infrastructure.
Our
Impact
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15cr+
Invested in startups
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40+
Startup Research engagement
CIE at IIIT Hyderabad is a technology incubator with rich experience in seeding, nurturing, and growing deep-tech startups in emerging segments like med-tech, tech4social, visual informatics, data engineering, and machine learning, language technologies, gaming, and robotics. CIE IIITH, with a research-led innovation as its primary mandate, focuses on amplifying technology through research collaboration and co-creation models for startups to work with research groups at IIITH.
Under the CIE umbrella, there are 3 active incubators: the Deeptech incubator (Avishkar), the Medtech incubator (Ojas) & the Social incubator (AIC). CIE also includes enabling labs such as a well-equipped Maker Lab, a Medical Electronics Calibration Lab, and a AR/VR lab. IIIT Hyderabad also includes Product Labs to seed new products from research — a pre-incubation program to seed startups from research.
In the past 15 years we have grown to be the largest academic incubator in the country, have housed over 450+ startups that have raised about 250+Cr funding, and created over 2500+ jobs. Today there are very active programs focused on emerging technology startups, research-based startups, medical technologies, and social technology startups.
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