Wadhwani Innovation Centre (WIC- QN)

for Quantum and Nano Technologies | Indian Institute of Science

Quantum Pitch Fest 2026

Apply | Pitch | Incubate | Deploy

A high-impact quantum innovation event connecting startups, investors, industry, and academia.

Powered by India’s Leading Quantum Ecosystem

Registrations are Now Live!

Limited seats available, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registrations close on 10th Maybook your spot now.

We invite registrations for participation from

Students (Bachelors, Masters, PhDs) / Postdocs/ Researchers / Academic Staff / Faculty/ Industry Professionals/Entrepreneurs / Startup founders / investors / Innovation Stakeholders.

Chief Guest

Shri A. S. Kiran Kumar

Former Chairman, ISRO

Special Guest

Dr. Ajay Kela

(CEO and Board Member, Wadhwani Foundation)

Tentative Speakers

Physics, IISc

Prof. Akshay Naik

Principal Investigator

WIN-CoE for Quantum Technologies, Centre for Nanoscience and Engineering, IISc

Shankar Kumar Selvaraja

Associate Professor

Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc

WIN-CoE for Quantum Technologies, IISc

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras

Kasturi Saha

Associate Professor

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay

Chetan Singh Thakur

Associate Professor

Department of Electronic Systems Engineering (ESE), IISc

QMD Foundation

Special Invitiees

Sunil Cavale S

Investment Principal, Speciale Incept Advisors LLP

Arindam Ghosh

Professor, IISc

C. M. CHANDRASHEKAR

Assistant Professor, IISc

Kalpana

Program Manager, CeNSE, IISc

Biman Chattopadhyay

Co-founder, Quanfluence

Narendra Bhandari

General Partner, Seafund

Aritra Sarkar

Senior researcher @ Fujitsu Research

Chiranjib Bhattacharyya

Professor, IISc

Raj Waghray

Chief Executive Officer, STEM Cell, SID

David Abikzir

Managing Partner, The Danazir Circle

Shubham Sandeep

Senior researcher @ Fujitsu Research

Anjali Priyadarshini

Quantum Technologies Lead, AWS

What is this?

A high-impact quantum innovation event connecting Startups, Investors, Industry, Academia

Who will you meet?

  • Startups
  • Investors
  • Researchers
  • Industry leaders
  • Students

Who should Apply?

Quantum startups & spin-offs

Deep-tech entrepreneurs

Translational research teams

Startups working on enabling and peripheral technologies

Interested in Pitching?

To find accomodation near IISc

Selected Pitches will Receive

Cash rewards & milestone-based seed funding

Access to IISc labs, clean rooms & testbeds

Faculty-led technical co-development

Structured incubation, mentoring & venture support

Access to national missions, investors & industry partners

IP strategy & licensing support, and industry pilots

Want to promote your brand through this event?

To know more, feel free to write to us at office.iqti@iisc.ac.in

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the registration fee is mandatory for all categories. Your registration will only be confirmed after the payment is completed. This policy has been introduced to ensure serious participation, based on experience from previous events.

The registration fee covers tea/coffee and snacks during breaks, lunch on both days, and an event registration kit.

Seats are limited and will be allocated strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Secure your spot today to avoid disappointment

To register, please fill out the official registration form available on the event landing page. (The link can be accessed via the QR code and the URL link provided in the flyer.) Since you are already on the event website, just scroll up to the top of the page to register.

The official registration is conducted only through the link on the landing page that opens after scanning the QR code or clicking the link on the event flyer. If you are facing issues accessing it, please try scanning again before contacting the event organizers for assistance.

This is a fully in-person event. Requests for online/hybrid participation will not be entertained.

Participants are advised to bring:

  • A valid ID
  • A notebook or laptop for notetaking
  • Any required personal items for the day
  • And lots of curiosity and enthusiasm

Participants from all academic and professional backgrounds are welcome to apply.

We appreciate your interest. However, for this event, participation is generally preferred for students from the first year of a Bachelor’s degree onwards.

Seats are limited and will be allocated strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Secure your spot today to avoid disappointment

No, open pitching is not available. Pitch presentations were pre-selected from a pool of applications. However, all participants will have the opportunity to interact with venture capitalists, engage with investors and entrepreneurs, and network with researchers and industry professionals.

The event will focus on areas such as:

  • Quantum computing and algorithms
  • Quantum technologies (hardware, communication, sensing)
  • Applications in chemistry, materials, finance, and optimization
  • Quantum entrepreneurship and startups

Yes, the program may include introductory talks aimed at helping newcomers understand the quantum ecosystem in Karnataka and in India. There will not be any tutorials pertaining to the fundamentals of quantum technologies.

Yes, participants will have multiple opportunities to network with industry professionals, startup founders, investors and venture capitalists, and academic researchers.

While not guaranteed, the event provides a platform to connect with organizations and individuals, which may lead to potential internships, collaborations, or future opportunities.

Yes, the event provides an excellent environment to meet:

  • Technically skilled researchers
  • Business-oriented participants
  • Students interested in joining startups

Yes, participating investors and venture capitalists are interested in exploring promising ideas and teams in the quantum ecosystem, particularly those with:

  • Strong technical foundations
  • Clear problem-solution fit
  • Scalable business potential

Absolutely. Researchers can:

  • Explore commercialization pathways
  • Understand industry needs
  • Build connections with investors and entrepreneurs.
  • Identify potential translational opportunities for their work.

Yes, participants will receive a certificate of participation after attending the event.

For any additional questions, participants can contact the event organizers through the details provided on the official landing page.

Participants are encouraged to:

  • Familiarize themselves with basic quantum concepts (optional but helpful)
  • Think about problems or applications they are interested in
  • Prepare questions for speakers, investors, and founders.
  • Be open to networking and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The event focuses on early- to growth-stage quantum startups and ideas, including:

  • Concept-stage innovations
  • Research-driven prototypes
  • Spin-offs from academic work
  • Early-stage startups seeking validation or funding

Yes, the event includes perspectives on:

  • Translating research into products
  • Go-to-market strategies
  • Industry adoption timelines
  • Challenges in building quantum startups

Yes, the quantum startup ecosystem requires diverse expertise. For example, participants from business and management, finance and investment, policy and strategy, IP management, etc., play a crucial role in building and scaling quantum ventures.

Our Eco system Partners

Quantum Pitch Fest Venue

The Quantum Pitch Fest will be held in A.V. Rama Rao Auditorium, Chemical Sciences Building, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru – 560 012. 

Prof. Ambarish Ghosh

Professor

Centre for Nanoscience and Engineering, IISc

Ambarish Ghosh is a professor at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) and associate faculty in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University after completing his five-year integrated MSc in Physics at IIT Kharagpur. Ghosh’s research portfolio spans magnetic nanorobotics, biophysics, quantum fluids, active matter, and plasmonics. His group established theoretical and experimental foundations for propulsion and control of magnetic helical nanorobots in biological and other complex environments, enabling numerous biomedical and sensing applications. He contributed to optofluidics by demonstrating active colloid manipulation with hybrid nanomotors and developed 3D plasmonic metamaterials for sensitive photodetection and optoelectronics. His laboratory was among the first to trap and characterize multielectron bubbles in superfluid helium, advancing studies of quantum fluids and electron dynamics. Ghosh’s recognitions include the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, Young Career Award in Nano Science, and election as Fellow to national science and engineering academies. He co-founded Theranautilus Pvt Ltd, translating nanorobotic discoveries into innovations for oral health.

Dr. Omprakash Subbarao

Chief Executive

Core Labs, Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development, IISC

Omprakash has a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Indian Institute of Science and an MBA from IIM Bangalore. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the industry managing multiple responsibilities across various domains. His experience spans Business and Technology consulting, Product Engineering and Management. He has held leadership positions in several  organizations like Accenture, UIDAI, Yahoo, Infosys, KPMG, and AT&T. He is currently the Chief Executive of CORE labs at FSID in IISc.

At Accenture, he was a Managing Director in the Communications, Media and Technology domain , responsible for creating Centre of Excellence in Technology Architecture, Cloud, Big Data and Analytics. At Yahoo, he was part of the Executive Leadership team that setup and grew the India Engineering Centre which designed, developed and rolled out Global products..

He brings with him rich experience in setting up and managing critical strategic initiatives 

He is a regular invited speaker in several National and International forums. 

He is currently on the Advisory Board of several technology companies.

Dr. Shirshendu Mukherjee

Managing Director - Wadhwani Innovation Network

A microbiologist with over 30 years of experience across academia, pharma, and funding agencies, contributing extensively to the innovation ecosystem in India and internationally

A Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP) certified by the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals (ATTP)

Serves as an Honorary Scientific Advisor to the Indian Patent Office

Serves as Country Ambassador for the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (RSTMH) in India

He is the General Secretary of the Society for Technology Management (STEM)

Board member of the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum

Holds a Ph.D. in microbiology, a law degree, and has completed leadership courses from Said Business School, University of Oxford, and the Global Health Leadership course at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)