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The Centre has given an official definition for what constitutes a ‘deep tech’ startup in India. A buzzword till now, the ‘deep tech’ startup, based on a gazette notification by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) made public on Thursday (February 5, 2026), is one that’s primarily involved with producing an answer primarily based on new data/ developments in a scientific or engineering self-discipline.
It should spend most of its cash on analysis and improvement (R&D) actions; owns or is in the method of making important novel mental property (IP) and taking steps to commercialise the identical; faces prolonged improvement timelines, lengthy gestation durations, excessive capital and infrastructure necessities, and carries giant technical or scientific uncertainty.
A ‘startup,’ — the DPIIT says — is an organization that’s lower than 10 years previous or has a turnover lower than ₹200 crore. According to the gazette notification, a deep tech firm can think about itself a ‘startup’ for so long as 20 years and a turnover of upto ₹300 crore — indicating the longer runway such corporations have and the time it takes to come back to fruition.
Applying for certification
To be counted as a deep tech startup, corporations should apply to the DPIIT for a certificates. The DPIIT is the ultimate authority that determines whether or not an organization qualifies as a startup or a deep tech startup. It will determine this primarily based on “guidance” from an Inter-Ministerial Board of Certification, which features a Joint Secretary, DPIIT (Convener); a consultant from the Department of Science and Technology (DST); a consultant from the Department of Biotechnology, based on the notification.
The notification additionally prohibits an outlined startup from investing in actions that aren’t instantly related to its core mandate of working and creating new data — as an example investing in actual property or “speculative assets,” or shares and securities — except they’re core to the corporate’s data manufacturing.
These definitions are necessary given the Centre’s thrust on technology-driven startups. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is the custodian of the ₹1 lakh crore Research and Development Innovation (RDI) Fund that’s anticipated to speculate in rising expertise and fund analysis over seven years. Part of these investments, which will probably be by means of secondary fund managers comparable to monetary establishments, will go to deep tech startups. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh mentioned this week that corporations with RDI funds might get financing at concessional charges of round 2-4% with tenures upto 15 years.
In 2024, the DPIIT recognised about 10,000 startups in India with Ajay Sood, India’s Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA), stating that solely about 10% of them have been ‘deep tech’ startups and that this was “too low” for India. The PSA workplace ready a deep tech coverage in July 2023, although this has but to be accredited by the Union Cabinet.
Published – February 06, 2026 06:08 pm IST