Hyderabad, August 1st 2026: The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), IIIT Hyderabad, officially kicked off the Avishkar Venture Studio Summer Cohort 2026 yesterday, marking the start of its flagship research-led venture-building program for deep-tech startups.
The program attracted more than 110 applications from startups across India. Following a rigorous screening process, 20 startups spanning sectors such as DeepTech, MedTech, Mobility, and MediaTech were shortlisted to pitch their ideas before a distinguished panel comprising IIIT Hyderabad faculty, investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts. The startups were evaluated on the basis of innovation, market potential, scalability, execution capability, and founder strength, with five emerging ventures earning a place in the Summer Cohort 2026.
The five startups selected for the Avishkar Venture Studio Summer Cohort 2026 are:
- Comply Ark Solution Private Limited – Developing an AI-enabled DPDPA compliance platform.
- L2 Aero – Building an AI-powered subsurface detection platform for defence and infrastructure.
- Mimansa Play – Creating an AI-powered speech development platform for children.
- SentraAuth Technologies – Developing an AI-powered continuous authentication platform using behavioral biometrics.
- Stylique AI Private Limited (Yoko Styles) – Building an AI-powered fashion design platform that transforms ideas into production-ready sewing patterns.
Over the next six months, the selected startups will work closely with IIIT Hyderabad’s research faculty, mentors, and industry experts to strengthen their technologies, build their first minimum viable product (MVP), validate market opportunities, and prepare for commercialization. The founders will also gain access to CIE’s extensive mentor and investor network, along with an opportunity to receive up to ₹10 lakh in seed funding.
Speaking about the initiative, Prof Ramesh Loganathan, COO, CIE IIIT Hyderabad, said:
“The Avishkar Venture Studio is designed to help founders transform promising technologies into scalable businesses. By combining IIIT Hyderabad’s research excellence with market-focused mentoring, product development support, and investor engagement, we aim to accelerate the journey from innovation to impact—helping founders build strong MVPs, validate markets, and prepare for successful fundraising.”
The launch of the Summer Cohort 2026 marks another milestone in CIE at IIIT Hyderabad’s mission to foster research-led entrepreneurship and strengthen India’s deep-tech innovation ecosystem. Through initiatives such as the Avishkar Venture Studio, CIE continues to enable founders to build research-backed, globally competitive technology ventures that address real-world challenges and create lasting impact.
About CIE, IIIT Hyderabad
The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), IIIT Hyderabad, is one of India’s leading deep-tech startup incubators. Established in 2008, CIE has built a vibrant innovation ecosystem that supports startups through incubation, acceleration, research collaboration, mentorship, access to funding, and strategic industry partnerships.
Operating from a 40,000 sq. ft. incubation facility, CIE provides startups with access to world-class infrastructure, research laboratories, experienced mentors, investors, and IIIT Hyderabad’s globally recognised expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Computer Vision, Language Technologies, and other advanced technology domains.
About IIIT-Hyderabad: The International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H) is an autonomous research university founded in 1998 that focuses on the core areas of Information Technology, such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communications, and their applications in other domains through inter-disciplinary research that has a greater social impact. Some of its research domains include Technology Innovation, Intelligent Systems, Signal Processing and Communications, Data Sciences, Language Technologies, Robotics, Security, Algorithms, Software Engineering, Visual Information Technology, VLSI and Embedded Systems Technology , Computer Systems, Machine Learning, Quantum Science and Technology, Computational Social Science, Cognitive Science, Computational Natural Sciences and Bioinformatics, Earthquake Engineering, Human Sciences, Spatial Informatics, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Smart Cities, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Technologies in Healthcare and Biomedical Research.
Website: www.iiit.ac.in
