Bringing researchers, industry leaders and investors together to build the UAE's next generation of deep-tech solutions

Published: Thu 20 Nov 2025, 9:54 AM

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The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi – Abu Dhabi (IITD-AD) has successfully hosted IGNITE 2025, a two-day international forum that positioned the campus as a strategic centre for deep-science research and innovation in the UAE. Building on the six-decade legacy of its parent institution, IIT Delhi, renowned globally for STEM leadership, research excellence, and a robust startup culture, IITD-AD demonstrated how it is translating this expertise to advance the UAE's ambitions in deep science and innovation-driven entrepreneurship. Jointly organised with the American Chemical Society (ACS), FortyTwo, and IvyCap Ventures, and supported by startAD, IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi IGNITE 2025 marked the first in a series intended to become a recurring platform for research collaboration, startup showcases, and industry and investor engagement.

The forum featured eight thematic tracks, covering Energy and Sustainability, Advanced Materials, AI and Data Sciences, Healthcare and MedTech, Space and New-Age Mobility, Food and Water Security, Carbon Capture and Release, and Quantum Technologies. Participants explored pioneering developments in green hydrogen, quantum sensing, digital health, desalination technologies, climate-smart agriculture, and carbon capture, many emerging from early-stage collaborations between India, the UAE and other international institutions. The breadth of research and innovation underscored IITD-AD's ability to translate proven expertise from IIT Delhi into impactful, regionally relevant initiatives.

IITD-AD's credibility is anchored in the institutional excellence of IIT Delhi. In terms of global academic reputation, IIT Delhi is ranked 26th in the world for Engineering & Technology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, making it the top-ranked Indian institution in this category. Since establishing its technical incubation unit in 1990, IIT Delhi has hosted over 200 startups, with more than 80 currently active in AI, clean energy, healthcare, food technologies, carbon capture, and quantum technologies. IIT Delhi's alumni have founded/co-founded nearly 30 per cent of India's unicorns. This demonstrates the proven impact of a strong innovation and research ecosystem, which IITD-AD is now extending in Abu Dhabi.

Expert-led panel sessions, including Building a Sustainable and Resilient Future, Science Without Borders, and The Next Billion Lives: Startups Reimagining Health, Food & Water, brought together leading voices from the UAE, India and beyond, sharing insights and practical pathways for collaboration. Investors and venture funds engaged actively with researchers and founders, signalling a growing appetite for deep-tech investment and cross-border partnerships. Notable speakers included Dr Farida Al Hosani, deputy CEO of GLIDE; Sonia Weymuller, co-founder and general partner of VentureSouq; Prof Hao Li, MBZUAI; Prof P.V.M. Rao, Department of Design and Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Delhi; Prof Vivek Buwa, deputy director of strategy and planning, IIT Delhi; Ashwin Joshi, director, startAD; Hana Barakat, sr. associate director, startAD; Rajesh Parishwad, ACS India; Dr Nikhil Aggarwal, managing director, FITT–IIT Delhi; Vikram Gupta, founder and managing director, IvyCap Ventures; Ashutosh Upadhyay, co-founder, FortyTwo VC; and Shwethal Kumar, managing director, The Catalyst, among others. Their participation highlighted the high calibre of dialogue and the potential for strategic partnerships emerging from the forum.

Prof. Shantanu Roy, executive director of IITD-AD, described IGNITE 2025 as a key milestone in the campus's trajectory:“This forum brings together talent, research capabilities, and venture networks from India and the UAE. IITD-AD is building on the expertise of IIT Delhi to accelerate deep-tech solutions that align with the UAE's vision for a world-class innovation economy.”

Prof. Mohamed Ali Haider, vice-provost (research and external engagement) at IITD-AD, emphasised the campus's operational approach:“In premier institutes like IIT Delhi, innovation is a daily pursuit. At IITD-AD, we provide students and researchers with resources, mentorship, and platforms to convert ideas from labs, classrooms, and hostel corridors into viable ventures. Partnering with ACS helps identify startups with global potential.” A cornerstone of nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship in the deep sciences is starting early - building curiosity and capability at the school level. Barely two years into establishing the Abu Dhabi campus, IITD-AD has already launched initiatives such as Energy, AI and Innovation Boot Camps, which enable participants to translate learning into practical innovation. Focusing on the vision behind IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi Ignite 2025, Prof. Haider remarked,“Five years from now, when people speak of Al Ibtikar (innovation) in the UAE and the region, we want IITD-AD to be synonymous with deep science and deep-tech innovation, fully integrated into the UAE's broader innovation landscape.”

As IITD-AD continues to expand, IGNITE 2025 establishes the template for a recurring forum where research, entrepreneurship, and industry dialogue are not merely showcased but meaningfully integrated. Anchored in IIT Delhi's scientific legacy and strengthened by early operational strides and strategic partnerships, the campus is beginning to articulate its own intellectual centre of gravity within the UAE. What emerges is not just a new node of innovation, but a platform where talent, inquiry, and capital intersect to advance solutions grounded in rigorous science and engineered for real-world impact.

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