CHENNAI: Innovation by students will play a crucial role in building a developed India, said Governor R V Arlekar on Saturday. He was speaking after inaugurating Delta Expo 2026 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.
“This is my first public event in Tamil Nadu. The journey towards a developed India cannot happen without the ideas and contributions of young innovators,” the governor said, adding innovation should not remain inside laboratories, and students must bring their ideas to people so that they benefit society and the country.
The two-day expo, organised by the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at IIT Madras, is the institute’s flagship event to showcase student innovations and startups. More than 45 student innovation teams from the Centre for Innovation (CFI), the institute’s student-run technology body, are presenting their projects. Over 30 early-stage startups from Nirmaan, the pre-incubation programme of IIT Madras, are also displaying their ideas and products.
Speaking at the event, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti said the institute aims to support at least 100 deeptech startups every year. He noted initiatives such as CFI and Nirmaan play an important role in encouraging student innovation and entrepreneurship.
During the event, the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the IIT Madras Incubation Cell also announced partnerships with other institutions to help convert scientific ideas into business ventures. The initiative will support startups through acceleration programmes, seed funding and access to research infrastructure.