Accelerating Startups, Research and
Real-world solutions at DEI SRM

Feb 2026 | 14 mins read

February 2026 was a dynamic and high-impact month for BioNEST, marked by innovation-driven engagements, startup capacity building, industry collaborations, and ecosystem outreach. Through a series of targeted programs, strategic partnerships, and national-level participations, the incubator reinforced its role as a catalyst for entrepreneurship, translational research, and technology commercialization.

Catalyst – Collaborative Innovation Engagement (IIT-M Ecosystem)

BioNEST@ SRM MCH RC participated in a collaborative innovation engagement with IIT ecosystem stakeholders to explore opportunities in technology translation, research commercialization, and joint incubation. The event provided a valuable platform for networking with academic innovators and startup enablers. Six promising Health-Tech and MedTech startups were showcased during the engagement. The student startup Serene (Mr Sarathi Chandran, Founder) won first prize for its outstanding solution, while two other startups received recognition for their presentations.

The interaction strengthened connections with the academic innovation ecosystem and opened avenues for future collaboration and support for research-driven startups.

BioWalk – Innovation Awareness Initiative

The Department of Biotechnology had organised a BioWalk to introduce the entrepreneurship ecosystem to the fresh MTech Students. Students were introduced to the incubator facilities, start-up prototypes, and innovation processes.

Impact

• Promoted Entrepreneurship awareness
• Encouraged student participation in research and commercialization
• Strengthened outreach visibility

LAMP Workshop – Skill Development Session
Title – decoding of gut microbiome experimental tools and techniques

A hands-on training workshop on LAMP based testing of diseases were conducted by BioNEST start-up Mugenics (Founders Dr Ramya and Dr Rathinasabhapati, Genetic Engg). The session provided participants with practical exposure to rapid molecular diagnostic techniques, emphasizing real-world applications in early disease detection, point-of-care testing, and scalable healthcare solutions. Attendees gained valuable insights into the workflow, accuracy considerations, and potential impact of LAMP technology in resource-limited settings.

External Engagements & Ecosystem Participation

BioAsia 2026 – Hyderabad

BioNEST SRM MCH RC showcased its Innovations at one of Asia's premier BioTech forums, engaging with global leaders across BioTech, pharma, Investment, academia, and policy sectors. The platform enabled meaningful strategic networking, fostering dialogues that can translate into collaborations, technology partnerships, and market access opportunities for Incubated startups. Our presence highlighted cutting-edge work in BioTech, startups, and translational research, while opening pathways for joint Initiatives and funding support.

Visitors explored our Innovations, connected with the SRM BioNEST team, and discovered collaboration opportunities spanning research commercialization, startup acceleration, and Industry partnerships. The interactions reinforced our commitment to turn promising conversations into impactful collaborations and advancing solutions from lab to market.

Key Achievements

• Strategic networking with Industry stakeholders
• Promotion of Incubated startups and technologies
• Identification of partnership and funding opportunities

TN RISE Conclave with CSIR-CLRI

The Directorate of Entrepreneurship & Innovation (DEI), SRM Institute of Science and Technology, proudly participated in the Research, Industry, Startup and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Conclave 2026, organized by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) at the Chennai Trade Centre on 14–15 February 2026. This prestigious conclave, graced by Jitendra Singh, Hon'ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, brought together leaders from research institutions, academia, industry, and the startup ecosystem under the powerful vision of "Whole-of-Government for Whole-of-Society." SRM IST also signed a MoU with the CSIR labs to promote technology transfer amongst the SRM startup community.

Over the two days we:

• Showcased innovative technologies and startup initiatives
• Engaged with leading scientists, industry experts, and policymakers
• Explored collaboration opportunities with CSIR laboratories and ecosystem partners
• Strengthened our commitment towards the vision of Viksit Bharat through innovation-driven impact

AIM SUMVAAD 2026 – NITI Aayog

As a newly appointed member of the Atal Innovation Center, SRM DEI participated in AIM SUMVAAD 2026, held in New Delhi, the flagship conclave of the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, bringing together key stakeholders from India's innovation and startup ecosystem. The sessions offered valuable insights into national innovation policies, incubation best practices, and strategies for ecosystem-led growth, further strengthening our approach to supporting entrepreneurs and innovators.

The event also enabled enriching networking interactions with incubators, policymakers, academic institutions, and industry leaders. These meaningful conversations opened avenues for potential collaborations, partnerships, and shared initiatives aligned with strengthening the startup and innovation landscape.

We had engaging interactions that reinforced our commitment to fostering innovation-driven impact. Grateful for the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and build relationships that can translate into future collaborations.

Innovation, AI & Technology Initiatives

SRM Innovation Hackathon – Edition 1

The SRM Innovation Hackathon – Edition 1 was successfully launched at SRM Institute of Science and Technology in collaboration with CYGNUSA Technologies. The hackathon began on a high note with enthusiastic participation as teams embarked on the "CYGNUSA Elite-Hire Architecture Challenge," tackling real-world problem statements through intensive brainstorming, ideation, and solution building.

Day 1 set the stage for an exciting innovation journey, with energetic teams diving deep into challenges, exploring creative approaches, and shaping impactful concepts with remarkable focus and collaboration.

Day 2 marked the critical phase of final presentations and external evaluation, where industry experts from CYGNUSA Technologies assessed the solutions, bringing valuable real-world perspectives and expectations. As prototypes evolved and ideas matured through expert feedback, the event culminated in outstanding innovations and recognition of winning teams.

The hackathon celebrated creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving while providing participants with hands-on exposure to industry-relevant challenges, reinforcing SRM's commitment to nurturing future innovators and entrepreneurs.

Pre-AI Summit Engagement – The Future of AI at SRMIST

Anchored in AI-centric education and industry collaboration, SRMIST is nurturing leaders capable of driving AI-led transformation.

As a lead up to the India AI Impact Summit, we organized a Pre-Summit Engagement that explored the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence in accelerating rapid prototyping and driving digital transformation. Prof. Dr. M. B. Mukesh Krishnan set the context by positioning AI as a foundational capability in today's world, essential for both academic excellence and industry relevance.

Dr. S. Hariprasad, Assistant Professor, CINTEL, SRMIST, shared practical insights on leveraging AI for customer-centric product design, highlighting data-driven strategies that enable smarter, scalable business decisions. Finally, Dr. K. Ramesh, Innovation Officer, DEI, SRMIST, discussed how early-stage founders leverage AI-driven intelligence to rapidly validate ideas and scale with confidence.

GO UX 2.0 – UI/UX Meet-up

SRM DEI successfully hosted GO UX 2.0 – UI/ UX Meetup, centered around the theme "Transhumanism in UI/ UX – Designing Beyond Human Limits." The event featured a series of valuable, thought-provoking, and eye-opening sessions that explored the evolving intersection of human potential, Technology, Ai and UI/ UX Design.

From reimagining empathy in Design cultures to understanding the role of AI in shaping responsible UX practices and envisioning intelligent interfaces of the future, the discussions offered powerful perspectives on where design is headed. The curiosity in the room was truly energising, as both students and professionals engaged in thoughtful discussions around AI – questioning trust, the extent of reliance, and its implications for the future of UX. Insightful sessions such as "Making User Empathy Everyone's Job: From Research Silos to Research Culture," "Beyond Human Limits: AI-Led UX Research and Responsible Design," and "The Intelligent Interface" enriched the conversation and challenged us to think beyond conventional boundaries of user experience.

We extend our sincere gratitude to all our speakers for sharing their valuable insights, experiences, and forward-thinking perspectives that enriched the event. Shrikant Deo (Oracle, Director Experience Design), Sonal Bhagria (Economist Intelligence, Lead Product Designer), Balaji Senthil P L (Zoho, Design Evangelist), Jairaj Ramendran (HPE, UX Manager) and Aunindra Kumar Sinha (Indeed Design & Research Leader). A sincere thank you to all the participants for joining us, engaging so actively, and contributing to the success of the event.

Strategic Collaborations & Outreach

• Participation in THE CATALYST – Innovative Product Commercialisation Expo as a Sponsorship Partner, supporting innovators from idea to market impact.
• Engagement with the Startup India team and the MoE Innovation Cell in New Delhi helped to strengthen pathways for translating faculty-led research into scalable ventures and to review institutional innovation progress.
• Showcase of SRMIST innovations at national platforms, reinforcing the Incubator's impact in converting seed funding into sustainable startup growth.

Startup Singam – Startup Readiness Series

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) has officially signed a Licensing Agreement with Anabond Limited for a patented Solar Cell Encapsulant technology developed by Prof. Ananthanarayanan and his research team from the Department of Chemistry. This indigenous innovation enhances the durability and long-term stability of next-generation solar cells – directly contributing to stronger, more reliable renewable energy systems.

This agreement represents more than a technology transfer – it reflects the growing strength of academia-industry collaboration in India's deep-tech ecosystem.

SRMIST Signs Landmark Licensing Agreement with Anabond for Solar Cell Encapsulant Technology!

In converting seed funding into sustainable startup outcomes, we engaged with the MoE Innovation Cell team to review the progress of IIC activities at SRM IST Chennai and discussed our structured approach to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup culture among students and faculty. The discussion highlighted IRIS, SRMIST's flagship annual event focused on technology showcases, patents, and industry networking to translate research into commercial outcomes. We also invited the MoE's Innovation Cell team to participate in the upcoming IRIS 2026, reinforcing avenues for continued collaboration.

We were pleased to engage with the Startup India team in New Delhi, with discussions centered on translating faculty-led prototypes into scalable, market-ready ventures. We presented the core strengths of our incubator, along with the measurable progress and success stories of SISFS-funded startups, highlighting our structured support system and transparent fund utilization. Overall, the interaction reinforced collaborative pathways for advancing institutional innovation and demonstrated the incubator's strong impact.

Panel Discussion Series on Future Careers

SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, in association with The Hindu, successfully organized a panel discussion series focused on exploring future career pathways across diverse disciplines. The series benefited undergraduate aspirants, postgraduate students, and working professionals by offering expert insights into emerging opportunities and evolving industry demands. Covering a wide spectrum of fields – including humanities and sciences, entrepreneurship, law, public health, pharmacology, allied health sciences, medical and dental sciences, engineering, and agriculture – the discussions provided valuable guidance for informed career planning in a rapidly changing world.

The initiative served as an interactive platform connecting participants with industry leaders, academicians, and professionals, fostering meaningful conversations on skills, trends, and pathways shaping the careers of tomorrow. Dr. Venkat Sastry, Director Career Center and Dr. Shantanu Patil, Director, SRM DEI participated in the webinar along with other industry panelists.

Advanced Fabrication Facility

SRM DEI FABLAB continues to strengthen its prototyping capabilities with the Metal Laser Cutting Machine already installed at the lab. The machine plays a key role in supporting engineering projects, startup prototypes, and research-based fabrication work within the campus.

The FABLAB continues to foster a vibrant culture of hands-on innovation, with students actively working on projects such as a Mini CNC Engraver, RC Plane Development, Race Bot, and a Mini Laser Cutting Machine. These initiatives reflect a strong emphasis on experiential learning and practical skill development. Student engagement has seen a remarkable rise, with 137 students utilizing the facilities in January 2026, increasing to 272 in February 2026. This sharp growth highlights the expanding innovation ecosystem on campus and the growing enthusiasm for prototype-driven learning.

Conclusion

February 2026 stood as a testament to DEI SRM’s expanding impact across startups, research translation, industry collaboration, and student innovation. From national-level engagements and strategic MoUs to hands-on workshops, AI-led initiatives, and rapid growth in student participation, the month reflected a strong momentum toward building a robust innovation ecosystem. As DEI continues to bridge academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, its commitment remains clear – accelerating ideas from lab to market, empowering founders, and driving real-world solutions that contribute meaningfully to India’s innovation landscape.