IIT Madras incubation FY26: 112 startups incubated and 431 patents filed
IIT Madras incubation FY26 saw 112 startups supported by the IITM Incubation Cell (IITMIC), the institute announced during World IP Day on April 24, 2026 . The same disclosure said IIT Madras filed 431 patents in FY2025-26, maintaining a roughly “one patent a day” pace.
IIT Madras incubation FY26: scale, valuation and notable exits
The institute’s incubation programme has now supported 567 startups in total. Collectively, the portfolio is valued at over Rs 74,100 crore , and includes two unicorns as well as several acquisitions. IIT Madras highlighted that Ather Energy’s IPO was the first public listing from an IIT Madras-incubated company.
Tamaswati Ghosh, CEO of IITM Incubation Cell, noted that FY25 set a new benchmark with 103 startups , while FY26 consolidated that growth amid more mature ventures. IITMIC received over 1,200 incubation applications in FY26, signalling strong nationwide interest.
IIT Madras incubation FY26: patents, IP support and research commercialisation
Alongside startup numbers, IIT Madras underlined its push on intellectual property and technology transfer. The Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research ( ICSR ) provides end-to-end IP support, from disclosures and prior-art checks to prosecution and portfolio management.
Manu Santhanam, dean (ICSR), said the strengthened processes are helping move innovations out of labs into commercial use. The campus event on World IP Day included talks, panels and the JC Bose Awards , which honoured faculty and students for patent activity and technology development.
More than 60% of the startups incubated in FY26 were led by external entrepreneurs from across India, reflecting IIT Madras’ reach beyond its student and alumni base. The portfolio spans sectors such as AI, robotics, climate tech, aerospace and fintech, with an increasing number of revenue-generating and funded ventures.
Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, faculty-in-charge of the incubation cell, said the focus remains on deep-tech startups tackling complex problems and scaling globally. The institute reported that repeat founders and serial entrepreneurs are increasingly part of incoming cohorts.
Students, researchers, faculty and startup founders attended the World IP Day event where these figures were unveiled. The announcements highlight both the institute’s current output in FY2025-26 and its continued emphasis on converting research into commercial impact.