Padma Shree Ashok Jhunjhunwala is the founder and president of IIT Madras (IITM) Research Park & Incubation Cell (IC), one of India’s foremost Deep Tech startup hubs. As of recording, IITM IC has incubated 280+ startups generating Rs 1620+cr revenue at a valuation of Rs 33000cr (US 4.1B), and it’s ever-growing. Some of its marquee startups are Ather, Uniphore, Stellapps, MediBuddy, and many more. Prof Ashok is a strong proponent of entrepreneurship and has motivated & guided 1000s of students & young entrepreneurs over the years towards the same. He was also the former principal advisor to the Ministry of Power, Govt. of India.
In this episode, Dr. Ashok takes us back to the India of the 90s to highlight how some trends that motivated him toward the entrepreneurial ecosystem. He talks about inspiring other entrepreneurs not just to believe but also to act on the power of ideas by building things. He highlights the DNA of IITM IC and how it’s a startup in its own right. He opines on the future of the deep tech industry and shares his advice for entrepreneurs just starting out. With his wealth of experience comes a treasure trove of insights. Surely not to be missed.
In this episode we discuss:
(00:01:39) How has India's entrepreneurship and startup scene changed from the 1980s and 1990s to the present day?
(00:12:43) How does Dr. Ashok define deep tech?
(00:14:30) What makes IITM Incubation Cell an ideal place for a deep tech startup?
(00:20:33) How does Incubation Cell help someone grow once they are accepted into the system?
(00:23:28) Some marquee startups to come out of IITM IC
(00:25:10) Opinions on some of the initiatives that the ITM Incubation Cell is planning for the future.
(00:26:40) What does Dr. Ashok think about the general prospects of the deep tech industry?
(00:27:05) What are some of the future trends he sees?
(00:29:27) Dr. Ashok's top three pieces of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs just starting out
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