Behind fintech, healthtech, and renewable energy startups, AI and deep tech startups have been getting their fair share of attention from investors and have strengthened its root in the Indian startup ecosystem. So, if you are a founder looking for inspiration or an investor looking for AI and deep tech startups in India, then this article is for you.
The Growth Of AI and Deep Tech Startups In India
India is known to be a hub for tech talent and startups. That image has been strengthened in 2025 by AI and deep tech startups. Innovative deep tech and AI startups in India are securing traction and funding from domestic and global investors.
Here are a few numbers of deep tech and AI funding in India based on IDTA’s Inaugural Report:
- 58% YoY increase in AI investment in India with 188 deals worth $1.22 billion.
- All of the deep tech startups have 289 deals attracting $2.1 billion
- Non-AI Deep tech startups attracted $1.19 billion from 147 deals.
- The Venture Capital and Private Equity investments rose from 4.5% in 2020 to 12.3% in 2025
The government’s Research Development and Innovation fund plays a vital role in the inception of new AI and Deep tech startups.
Additionally, the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 has also strengthened AI and deep tech supply chains. On 20 February 2026, India joined the US-led Pax Silica initiative to diversify the supply chain of minerals, semiconductors, and AI infrastructures. This opens up gates for founders to build innovative solutions and reach global markets.
Investment Signal For Founders To Attract AI and Deep Tech Investors
For founders seeking AI investment in India, understanding what investors are looking for in 2026 is non-negotiable. The following are a few trends among the investors of AI and Deep tech startups in India.
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Rise Of AI-Enabled Startup Solutions
Up until recent years, the infrastructure needed for AI and deep Tech was still in its developmental phase. However, now that technology has become accessible, AI-enabled startups are taking over.
Innovative AI and seep tech startups such as QpiAI and Sarvam AI offer the base model that can help founders develop AI-based startups that attract national and global investors. Kore.ai, SuperAGI, and Yellow.ai are a few top AI-based startups offering enterprise-level solutions for automation. These enterprise startups gain a lot of traction due to their scalability and demand.
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Deep Tech In Defense And Space
Geopolitical situations make defense one of the top priorities for any nation. Deep tech and AI startups in India are making new waves in the defense and space sector.
The Government of India understands the critical role these advanced technologies play in strengthening the country’s position. Therefore, they have developed initiatives and programs such as Make In India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) to provide funding and infrastructural support for the AI and deep tech defense and space startups.
There is a surge in deep tech and AI investment in India focused on electro-optical systems, unmanned aerial systems, autonomous defence electronics, and remote surveillance. A few notable names in this sector are Neurelix AI, IdeaForge, and Paninian India.
Deep tech and AI are actively adopted in the space sector. At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Space promoter and regulator IN-SPACe has announced a seed funding scheme of Rs. 6 crore for space startups (source). This scheme aims to provide AI-driven private startups with financial and institutional support.
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AI For Sustainable Future In Agriculture
Food is a fundamental necessity. AI and deep Tech startups focused on food security and energy efficiency have been gaining traction from private, institutional, and government investors.
Tech startups focused on remote sensing, weather advisory, crop health monitoring, smart supply chain, and harvest estimation help smallholder farmers.
These startups help farmers improve their yield, make data-backed decisions, and increase profitability. Cropin, AgNext Technologies, and WayCool Foods are a few top agritech startups in India.
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AI-Powered Healthcare Solutions
Healthcare is the powerhouse of any country and AI is reshaping how healthcare is operated. By automatic repetitive tasks and creating smart diagnostic systems for various health conditions.
As per a Nasscom report on The State of Responsible AI in India 2025, 18% businesses report they have successfully matured in implementing AI practices, while 53% are in the advanced stage. However, a whopping 23% are still exploring AI tools and practices. This provides a gap for startup founders to offer innovative solutions and secure more funding in every growing health sector.
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Growth of Semiconductor Startups
The semiconductor startups are at the center of India’s AI and deep tech revolution. Startups that come up with new ways to make hardware parts like chips, processors, and AI accelerators have gotten a lot of attention and money from the market. These new businesses will get more help with their infrastructure and finances so they can rely less on imports and export more. The Union Budget 2026-27 announced the India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, which will give these projects Rs. 1,000 Crore.
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Conclusion
The AI and deep tech ecosystem in India is growing very quickly, with funding up 58% from last year. This shows that new AI and deep tech startups are popping up in many fields, especially healthcare, agriculture, defense, space, and semiconductor manufacturing.
If you are a founder, Bharat’s Leading Startup Summit by 21BY72 provides you a stage to exhibit and pitch your startups to investors actively looking for AI and Deep tech startups. Book your spots to be part of the most thriving startup ecosystem in India.
FAQs
1. How can AI help in India’s development?
Here are a few ways AI is playing a vital role in the development of India:
- Improving efficient diagnosis in healthcare
- Optimized crop health and better yield in agriculture
- Strengthening the defence system for the armed forces
- Making learning more accessible with multilingual AI models
- Customer management becomes easier and more efficient
2. How to fi nd AI investment in India?
You can look for government-backed AI investment through the India AI Mission, IN-SPACe, or Startup India. For private equity, you need to connect with angel investor networks and VC firms to tap into a pool of eager investors interested in AI. Networking events and social media can help you build your network to find reliable investors for your AI startup.
3. Which sectors with AI and Deep tech are attracting the most investment in India?
The top sectors attracting the most investment for Deep Tech and AI startups in India are enterprise solutions, healthcare, multilingual AI models, agritech,
climate-tech, semiconductor manufacturers, and defense. Fintech and spacetech solutions are also gaining significant traction in recent years.
4. Which are the best deep tech startups in India?
There are many innovative deep tech startups in India. You can explore a few of them at Bharat’s Leading Startup Summit hosted on 13th and 14th June 2026 in Surat. But here are a few top deep tech startups in India:
- Sarvam AI for LLM
- Digantara for space solutions
- QpiAI for quantum computing
- Cropin for precision agriculture
- Netrasemi for AI chip design
