{"id":121258,"date":"2026-03-13T03:31:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T06:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tech.einnews.com\/article\/899108425"},"modified":"2026-03-13T03:31:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T06:31:45","slug":"building-deep-tech-requires-patience-partnerships-and-industrial-scale-say-industry-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/03\/13\/building-deep-tech-requires-patience-partnerships-and-industrial-scale-say-industry-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"Building deep tech requires patience, partnerships and industrial scale, say industry leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<img width="590" height="442" class="unveil" loading="eager" src="https:\/\/manufacturing.economictimes.indiatimes.com\/images\/default.jpg" data-src="https:\/\/etimg.etb2bimg.com\/photo\/129501789.cms" captionrendered="1" alt="<\/p>\n

The conversation also cast India\u2019s current policy direction in a positive light.<\/p>\n

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The conversation also cast India\u2019s current policy direction in a positive light.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

India\u2019s deep-tech journey will be shaped less by startup speed and more by scientific depth, long qualification cycles and strong ecosystem partnerships<\/a>, industry leaders stressed during a panel discussion on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the inaugural edition of the ET Electronics & Semiconductor Manufacturing<\/a> Summit 2026 in Bengaluru, industry leaders deliberated on what it takes to build successful deep-tech ecosystems and what India can learn from global models as it sharpens its ambitions in semiconductors and electronics.<\/p>\n

Yoonjin Lee, Director of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency<\/a> (KOTRA), said government continuity and cross-border market linkages are central to building credible deep-tech pipelines. Describing KOTRA\u2019s role as a connector between startups, investors, corporates and governments, Lee emphasises that frontier technologies cannot scale in isolation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe government\u2019s continuous support is really important,\u201d she said, adding that startups also need validation from academia, industry and large enterprises before their technology can be adopted in the real world. She argued that exposure to global markets is equally critical, since the eventual customer for a deep tech<\/a> product is often outside the startup\u2019s home market.<\/p>\n

For investors, the framework is fundamentally different from software. Anand Kamannavar, Global Head, Applied Ventures<\/a>, said deep tech<\/a> cannot be evaluated through SaaS-style expectations around speed, pivots or early product-market fit. \u201cDeep tech is not SaaS,\u201d he said, stressing that physics timelines, qualification barriers and manufacturing realities set the pace.<\/p>\n

Instead, he stated, investors look for technologies that are not only differentiated but also engineered for scale. \u201cWe are looking for deep technology that\u2019s innovative and, more importantly, scalable,\u201d Kamannavar noted, adding that prototypes alone are not enough unless founders can show a path to industrialisation and mass deployment.<\/p>\n

Both speakers pointed to partnerships as the operating backbone of successful deep tech ecosystems. Lee cited KOTRA\u2019s collaboration with Applied Ventures<\/a> to help Korean startups find the right industrial partners and accelerate validation.<\/p>\n

Kamannavar said deep tech companies must work closely with ecosystem builders, R&D infrastructure partners, and strategic industry stakeholders early on, rather than relying solely on venture capital. \u201cWork with partners\u2014not just corporate partners, but also ecosystem partners,\u201d he said, arguing that access to labs, fabs, talent and long-cycle industry relationships must complement capital.<\/p>\n

The conversation also cast India\u2019s current policy direction in a positive light.<\/p>\n

Lee said the Indian government is sending a clear signal to global industry through its semiconductor and manufacturing push, while Kamannavar noted that India is now backing not just production but also design and R&D capabilities.<\/p>\n

The broader takeaway from the session was that India has a real opening to build globally relevant deep tech companies\u2014but only if it remains patient, execution-focused and committed to building institutions, not just incentives. In deep tech, the panel suggested, enduring value will come from disciplined collaboration and the ability to move from proof of concept to repeatable industrial impact.<\/p>\n

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