NITWIEF supports 35 startups, aims to ignite entrepreneurial spirit

The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal, one of India’s premier public technical and research institutions, has been placing greater emphasis on promoting innovation and entrepreneurship since the incorporation of its Section 8 company, the NIT Warangal Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation (NITWIEF), in February 2024. The initiative aims to nurture and accelerate the startup ecosystem, said institute director Bidyadhar Subudhi, adding that 11 startups received grants worth ₹38 lakh in 2024–25.

Speaking to The Hindu, he said that NITWIEF is currently incubating 35 startups, providing them with space, mentorship and guidance to scale their ideas. These startups are working actively from the institute’s Centre for Innovation and Incubation, and three to four ventures are expected to reach the stage of commercialisation soon.

“Additionally, NITWIEF is supporting student-led innovation by incubating promising ideas from within the student community. Currently, six student startup ideas are being nurtured, reflecting the institute’s commitment to igniting entrepreneurial spirit among its youth,” he said.

With an aim to boost the startup ecosystem in Tier-II and Tier-III cities in the country, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is implementing the ‘Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS)‘ scheme, which funds up to ₹10 lakhs in grants over one year, he added.

Mr.Subudhi also added that they had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Startup Foundation of Karnataka in March this year to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. The partnership aims to mentor startups, provide networking opportunities, and support aspiring entrepreneurs.

A chapter of the International Startup Foundation will be set up at NIT-Warangal, facilitating mentorship programmes and workshops.

Meanwhile, NIT Warangal has been actively promoting innovation and intellectual property. The institute has filed a total of 170 patents till 2025-26, with 72 patents granted, 83 pending/under process and 15 abandoned.