BITS Pilani Startup Hub, Bengaluru, has launched two accelerator programmes targeting deeptech and healthcare startups, as it steps up efforts to connect technology entrepreneurs with investors, industry leaders and its alumni network.
The programmes were announced at the Hub’s inaugural Startup Accelerator Demo Day on October 9, where 12 technology-led startups showcased their ventures to investors, venture capitalists, industry executives and entrepreneurs.
The initiative seeks to leverage BITS Pilani’s entrepreneurial alumni network to help early-stage ventures access mentorship, industry connections, potential customers, talent and fundraising opportunities.
Deeptech and healthcare accelerators launched
The two programmes launched at the event are Keystone – Deeptech Accelerator, led by Vibhav Joshi, Director of Innaccel, and a Healthcare Accelerator led by Swathi Kulkarni, Managing Director of Konovo and founder of Elda Health.
Prof. Suman Kundu, Director of BITS Pilani’s K. K. Birla Goa Campus, said the institution’s entrepreneurial ecosystem provided a foundation for expanding structured support to founders.
“BITS Pilani is known for its founders. Our students and alumni have created 17 unicorns and 140 deeptech startups. Given our alumni strength in Bengaluru, we have strategised to support founders through well-designed accelerator programmes owned by an alumni founder,” he said.
The launch reflects the growing role of academic institutions and alumni-led networks in helping technology startups bridge the gap between product development, market access and institutional funding.
Twelve startups pitch to investors
The Demo Day featured presentations by 12 startups, giving founders an opportunity to explain their business models, engage with potential investors and explore strategic partnerships.
The event brought together investors and industry representatives, including Nitin Pai, Chief Strategy Officer at Tata Elxsi; Avnish Sabharwal of Vedanta Ventures; Bala Srinivasa, Managing Director and founder of Arkam Ventures; and Rohit Agarwal, Senior Director at Palo Alto Networks.
The formal programme was followed by a networking session titled Founders × Investors: Connect & Converse, allowing participating startups to interact directly with investors and other ecosystem stakeholders.
The Hub’s 12-week, on-site acceleration programme offers alumni-led mentorship, strategic guidance, investor interactions and fundraising support.
It is also planning a six-month acceleration track for select hard-tech startups. The extended programme is intended for ventures that require longer product-development cycles, deeper industry engagement and additional support to scale their operations.
Alumni network at the centre of the strategy
The Startup Hub was established in Bengaluru in January 2026 under the leadership of Prof. Mridula Goel, its founding lead. The initiative aims to build an alumni-powered platform that connects entrepreneurs with the expertise, networks and resources needed to develop their businesses.
“The excitement in creating something of their own is what drives founders. By setting up the BITS Pilani Startup Hub in Bengaluru this January, I also experience that every day. The support from the BITS leadership for innovative initiatives helped me to achieve this,” Goel said.
The model places alumni entrepreneurs at the centre of the acceleration process, potentially enabling startups to draw on industry experience and business networks alongside conventional mentoring and investor access.
For technology ventures, such connections can be particularly important in securing early customers, validating products, identifying commercial partners and navigating the transition from prototype to market-ready solutions.
Investors discuss the funding journey
The Demo Day also featured a panel discussion titled Founder to Funded: Navigating the Investor Journey, which examined fundraising strategies, investor engagement and the challenges involved in building technology-led businesses.
Moderated by Rohit Agarwal, Senior Director, AI Gateway, at Palo Alto Networks, the discussion included Bala Srinivasa of Arkam Ventures, Rachit Parekh, partner at Accel, Kushal Bhagia, founder of All In Capital, and Rahul Seth, founder of Industrial 47.
The discussion brought together perspectives from venture capital and the technology ecosystem on how founders can approach investors and build businesses capable of scaling.
Rajesh Kumar Kotta, a member of the BITS Pilani 1994–98 batch and founder and chief executive of HustleHub, said the ambition was to build enterprises capable of competing globally.
“We want to build great enterprises, and show the world that India is not less than any other,” he said.
Focus shifts to scaling technology ventures
The inaugural Demo Day marks a step in BITS Pilani Startup Hub’s efforts to strengthen the connection between its entrepreneurial community and Bengaluru’s startup ecosystem.
The combination of shorter acceleration programmes, specialised deeptech and healthcare tracks, and a planned six-month hard-tech programme provides different levels of support for ventures with varying development requirements.
The next phase will depend on the Hub’s ability to convert investor interactions, alumni mentorship and industry partnerships into tangible outcomes, including funding, commercial partnerships and business expansion for participating startups.
For Bengaluru’s technology ecosystem, the initiative adds another institution-backed platform seeking to connect entrepreneurial talent with capital and industry expertise.