The two-day event witnessed participation from over 45 technology startups, 55+ startup founders, and 200+ student innovators. It also brought together more than 20 venture capital firms, 60+ industry leaders, and 100+ industry executives, alongside strong academic representation including 14 IIT Directors, and leaders from IIEST, NIT, and CSIR.

Jointly organized by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Kharagpur, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, IIT Bhubaneswar, and IIT Patna, the event served as a platform for collaboration among academia, industry, policymakers, and investors to accelerate the transition of research into real-world applications.

The event was inaugurated by Jharkhand Governor Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, who launched the Technology Demonstration Zones and key Centres of Excellence, including the Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN) CoE and ReNew CoE.

IInvenTiv 2026 recorded its highest-ever participation, showcasing 190 innovations and startups, including 150 innovations from premier institutions. These comprised 110 from IITs, 23 from NITs, one from IISER, and 11 from other institutions.

A key highlight of the event was the signing of multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and on-the-spot funding support for startups. Under the TEXMiN initiative, four MoUs worth ₹10 crore were signed, while additional agreements with IIT (ISM) Dhanbad were valued at approximately ₹15 crore. Startups received funding support of around ₹16.5 crore, marking the first instance of immediate funding at the event.

Strategic collaborations were formalized with leading organizations including NTPC Mining Limited, Agilent Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., Anton Paar India Pvt. Ltd., and Tecknotrove Systems India Pvt. Ltd., focusing on advanced laboratories and Centres of Excellence. Additional MoUs were signed with Simon India, Kaynes Semicon, Netweb, TechBond, and Hycon, further strengthening industry-academia partnerships.

The event saw participation from over 1,000 delegates and more than 500 general visitors. Notably, 71 startups engaged in structured VC matchmaking sessions, with 15 shortlisted for further funding discussions.

IInvenTiv 2026 commenced with a high-level roundtable on "Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) to Scale-up Strategic Sectors," focusing on areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, healthcare, materials science, and earth sciences.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Sukumar Mishra, Director of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, highlighted the growing maturity of India's innovation ecosystem and the role of academic institutions in driving technological self-reliance.

Parthasarathi Das, Dean (R&D) and Convenor, emphasized the importance of such platforms in bridging academia, industry, and investors to build a strong commercialization pipeline. Ejaz Ahmad, PIC SRIC and Organising Secretary, noted the strong engagement in startup pitching, technology demonstrations, and industry partnerships during the event.

The event also featured plenary sessions across thematic areas including semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare innovations, material sciences, and earth sciences. Day two focused on academia-industry linkages through matchmaking sessions, startup use cases, and discussions on national digital initiatives like the National Health Stack.

With technology demonstrations, startup pitches, and immersive facility tours-including the 3D Mine Experience Centre, underground mining sites, geological museum, and seismological observatory-IInvenTiv 2026 reinforced its position as a leading platform for innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange in India.