T-Hub Emerges Trailblazer In Incubation Space

One of strongest aspects of T-Hub is Corporate Innovation programme, the infrastructure built at T-Hub, and specific programmes held in AI and semiconductors. Some of these can be scaled at a national level - Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO of MeitY Startup Hub, tells Bizz Buzz

Hyderabad: MeitY Startup Hub, a nodal agency of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will be facilitating the implementation of good practices followed by startup incubators in cities like Hyderabad to cut down on duplication of efforts by other States. The city’s premier innovation hub, T-Hub, a frontrunner in the incubation space, has best practices that can be implemented across the country, says MeitY Startup Hub.

“We learn from the ecosystem by looking at organisations like T-Hub for introducing best practices at the national level for scaling up startups. One of the strongest aspects of T-Hub is Corporate Innovation programme, the infrastructure built at T-Hub, and specific programmes held in AI and semiconductors. Some of these can be scaled at a national level,” Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO of MeitY Startup Hub, told Bizz Buzz.

MeitY will be conducting its 1st National Incubator Accelerator Capacity Building workshop on February 21, a one-day programme wherein 100 MeitY supported accelerators will be participating.

“This platform will bring together incubators to share their best practices, and learn from peer groups. The next step will be to create regional groups of incubators. As South India is a matured ecosystem with home to more than 50 per cent of the total 1,060 incubators, these learning’s can be translated in the East or North,” the CEO added.

When asked about the deployment of funds for deep tech startups from the Fund of Funds announced during the Union Budget 2025-26, Madanagopal said that a significant amount of the Fund of Funds will be set aside for deep tech startups.

“We are focusing on three areas, which includes deep tech that will make India self-reliant, deep tech that will have strong social impact and improve the quality of life, and product or solutions that have export value,” he added.

When asked about the status of the DPDP (Digital Personal Data Protection) Act, Madanagopal informed that the DPDP Act, which is out for public consultation, will address challenges around data privacy.

“How the personal data can be used, what kind of permission has to be taken from the data provider, applications the data can be used for, and others have been deliberated,” he pointed out.

Speaking about the opportunities available in the rural market, he advised entrepreneurs to look beyond the urban market for addressing problem statements.

Madanagopal highlighted that “last year about 4,500 international startups wanted to enter the Indian market, while less than 400 Indian startups have gone global. Firstly, this implies that the market available here is huge, so startups should look at rural demand instead of catering only to the urban customers. Secondly, it also means that startups have to realise that what they build for India should meet international standards so as to be exportable.”