IIT-Madras launches Tamil Nadu start-up and innovation dashboard

Highlighting the importance of this innovation dashboard, Thiru T.R.B. Rajaa, Minister for Industries, Investment Promotions and Commerce, Tamil Nadu, said: “The launch of the Tamil Nadu Innovation Platform marks a pivotal step in our journey towards promoting innovation and strengthening our entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

“It reflects our government’s vision to position Tamil Nadu as the national leader in innovation, advanced manufacturing, and inclusive economic growth, ensuring that opportunities are accessible across every district, not just in metropolitan hubs,” he added.

Saying that Tamil Nadu is the second largest industrial economy of any state in India and the most industrialised in the country, it has become a major hub for start-ups and positioned the state as an epicentre of innovation in the country, the institute said: “As of August 2025, there are close to 19,000 start-ups in Tamil Nadu. Together, these start-ups have created more than 2.2 lakh jobs, and have attracted investment exceeding Rs 1,20,000 crores. There are 45 start-ups, each of which has attracted investment of Rs 200 crore or more. The state also has 228 active incubators and start-up enabling organizations, the largest number for any state in the country.”

Expanding on how the dashboard can contribute to the development of the innovation and ecosystem in Tamil Nadu, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, added, “The dashboard will help policymakers to focus on the sectoral strengths of the different districts and develop suitable policy policies and programs. The dashboard also showcases the pool of start-ups to National and Global investors, thereby attracting investments from global Tamil diaspora as well as savvy angel and institutional investors.”

INNOVATION-TN has been conceptualized by the Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST), an Institute of Eminence Research Centre at IIT Madras along with IIT Madras-incubated start-up YNOS Venture Engine and leverages the most comprehensive start-up and investor platform developed by CREST.

According to an agreement signed on July 23, 2025 at Chennai between Guidance Tamil Nadu, IIT Madras and YNOS for the development of INNOVATION-TN dashboard, IIT Madras would provide the academic oversight and research inputs to ensure the robustness, reliability and relevance of the Innovation Dashboard and Guidance Tamil Nadu would promote long-term strategic engagement between academic and industry and provide institutional support, visibility, and alignment with the state’s innovation priorities.

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