Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) has partnered with Guidance Tamil Nadu to develop a State-level dashboard for start-ups and innovation.
Called INNOVATION-TN, the platform provides a comprehensive overview of the start-up ecosystem of Tamil Nadu and showcases the innovation prowess to different stakeholders, such as investors, industries, financial institutions, and start-up founders. Guidance Tamil Nadu is the Government of Tamil Nadu’s nodal agency for investment promotion.
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 investments, exceeding ₹1,20,000 crore. There are 45 start-ups, each of which has attracted an investment of ₹200 crore or more. The State also has 228 active incubators and start-up enabling organisations, the largest number for any State in the country.
V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT-Madras, said, “The dashboard will help policymakers to focus on the sectoral strengths of the different districts and develop suitable policies and programmes. 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 conceptualised 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.
An MoU was signed between Guidance Tamil Nadu, IIT-Madras and YNOS for the development of the dashboard. IIT-Madras would provide the academic oversight and research inputs to ensure the robustness, reliability and relevance of the Innovation Dashboard. Guidance Tamil Nadu would promote long-term strategic engagement between academic institutions and industry and provide institutional support, visibility, and alignment with the State’s innovation priorities.
A. Thillai Rajan, faculty, Department of Management Studies, IIT-Madras, and Head, CREST, IIT-M, said, “The platform helps the start-ups to quickly identify the most relevant and appropriate incubators, investors, and banks for their ventures, thereby not only saving significant time and effort but also improving the chances of success.”
Darez Ahamed, MD and CEO, Guidance Tamil Nadu, said, “The Tamil Nadu Innovation Platform is a catalyst for collaboration between industries, start-ups, R and D firms, and academic institutions across the State. By spotlighting sectoral strengths in each district, we are enabling corporates to integrate into thriving local ecosystems, investors to identify promising opportunities, and policymakers to design targeted interventions that accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth”
Published – September 12, 2025 12:58 am IST
