Startup Policy Forum Launches DeepTech Advisory Board, What's in for You?

The Startup Policy Forum (SPF) has announced the launch of a high-powered DeepTech Advisory Board, aimed at strengthening India’s deeptech ecosystem and shaping policy frameworks for emerging technologies.

The board brings together a distinguished group of investors, founders, policymakers, academics, and deeptech experts who will work collectively to identify high-potential startups, provide policy inputs, and address regulatory bottlenecks that often hinder the growth of deeptech ventures.

Deeptech Advisory Board

The newly constituted board includes some of the most influential names across the ecosystem. Among investors, members include Prashanth Prakash (Accel India), Anjali Bansal (Avaana Capital), Sateesh Andra (Endiya Partners), Pranav Pai (3one4 Capital), and Vishesh Rajaram (Speciale Invest).

Entrepreneurial representation comes from Tarun Mehta (Ather Energy) and Anirudh Sharma (Digantara), while policy voices include Dr. Chagun Basha (Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor), Panneerselvam Madangopal (MeitY Startup Hub), and Dr. Manish Diwan (BIRAC).

Academic expertise is provided by Prof. Thillai Rajan (IIT Madras), while ecosystem enabler Shradha Sharma (YourStory) and technology investors Vibhore Sharma and Anandamoy Roychowdhry add further depth to the panel.

The #100DesiDeepTechs Initiative

The Advisory Board will anchor #100DesiDeepTechs, a national initiative launched in partnership with MeitY Startup Hub, Startup India–DPIIT, and IIT Madras, designed to identify and support India’s top 100 deeptech startups.

These startups will not only gain recognition but will also contribute actively to policy discussions, helping create an enabling regulatory environment. The identified ventures will represent critical technology areas including semiconductors, defence technologies, quantum technologies, green hydrogen, space technologies, drones and UAVs, electric vehicles, biotechnology, robotics, autonomous systems, advanced manufacturing, and communications infrastructure.

The IIT Madras-led curation process will ensure the selection of startups working on scalable and impactful deeptech innovations.

Policy Engagement and Research

Over the next few months, SPF will conduct sector-specific roundtables with the selected startups to gather policy inputs. The insights will be compiled into a comprehensive report by Ikigai Law, which will be presented at the DeepTech Baithak, creating a structured channel for dialogue between startups and policymakers.

The Advisory Board will also work closely with the Centre for DeepTech Policy Research (CDPR), the dedicated policy research hub under SPF, to ensure that feedback translates into actionable recommendations.

Commenting on the launch, Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO of Startup Policy Forum, said, “India has the potential to be the world’s deeptech powerhouse. With the DeepTech Advisory Board, we are bringing together a group of highly distinguished experts to help support breakthrough innovations that will define the future of national progress. Our mission is to give these startups the right mentorship, policy support, and visibility so they can create the next wave of transformative companies from India.”

The Startup Policy Forum (SPF) is an industry body representing over 50 of India’s leading startups across diverse sectors including fintech, consumer, AI, and deeptech, with a combined valuation of more than $80 billion.

Its members include companies such as CRED, OYO, Physics Wallah, ixigo, Cars24, Mobikwik, BharatPe, Cardekho, Groww, Zerodha, Swiggy, Razorpay, Dream11, Acko, Pine Labs, Invideo, and Digantara.

Founded and led by public policy and media professional Shweta Rajpal Kohli, SPF engages in policy advocacy, global positioning, and community-building initiatives to strengthen India’s position as a leading hub for innovation and investment.