Vel Tech Technology Business Incubator (Vel Tech TBI) — a dynamic entrepreneurship ecosystem supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and hosted by Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology — successfully organized the 5th edition of Start-up and Investor (SAI) Summit 2025 at the Vel Tech University campus, Avadi, Chennai.
The summit, themed “Smart Startups, Smarter Investors: Harnessing AI for Growth,” brought together over 150 delegates from across India, including startups, investors, venture capitalists, corporates, government officials, and researchers. The event featured a vibrant startup exhibition and pitch sessions from promising startups within the Vel Tech TBI ecosystem.
The summit was inaugurated with a keynote address by Mr. Gopi Koteeswaran, Co-Founder of Dzruptive AI, Cardiac Wellness Institute, and Boostable. Distinguished speakers included Mr. Gowtham Sarvesh (COO, Keiretsu Forum, Chennai & Singapore), Ms. Gayatri Devi Kalyanaraman (Rallyist, Sangatna Angels), Mr. Chetan Prakash Sancheti (CPS) (Angel Investor), Mr. G. Ramasubramanian (General Partner, Sirrius One VC), Mr. Atul Shree (Co-Founder & CTO, Convin.ai), Mr. Rajendra Awasthi (Co-Founder & CEO, Ezee.AI), Mr. Vibhor Jain (VyomiC), and Mr. Saran Pandian R (Director, Ironmen Technologies Pvt. Ltd.). Mr. Balaji Baskaran, AVP – Academics & Pedagogy, Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, highlighted customized skill development programs designed for startups.
The Welcome Address and Opening Remarks were delivered by Dr. Rajan Gupta, Vice Chancellor, Vel Tech R&D Institute of Science and Technology, followed by “The Journey travelled over the years” was covered by Dr.Chandrakumar, Dean R & D and CEO of Veltech TBI. In his Theme Address, Dr. Rajaram Venkataraman, Chief Advisor, Vel Tech TBI stressed on the importance of integrating AI into scheme of things for startups as well as investors, if one wants to have growth and success.
A key highlight of the event was the Startup Awards Ceremony, which recognized 15 outstanding startups under categories such as Best Health Tech Startup, Best AI Innovation Award, Young Innovator Award, Best Deep Tech Startup, and Startup of the Year, among others. The awards were presented by Mr. Gopi Koteeswaran in the presence of dignitaries and investors.
With over 420+ startups nurtured under its ecosystem, Vel Tech TBI has facilitated the creation of nearly 7,000 jobs to date, 75 startups filed Patent and 53 startups raised external funding. Its startups have achieved national and global recognition, including Squarecomp (selected by Google’s Startup Grind in Silicon Valley), Gofloaters (featured in Fortune Global Magazine), and Admatic Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (winner of Tech Crunch Global Top Pick 2019 in Berlin and the India Innovation Cup at Gitex Dubai 2019). Other achievers include Medcuore Medical Solution Pvt. Ltd., Green Era Recyclers, Rex Cyber Solutions, Regeno Ventures Pvt. Ltd., Blinkeyelabs Electronics Pvt. Ltd., Embright Infotech Pvt. Ltd., Peppertree.AI Pvt. Ltd., Napid Cybersec Pvt. Ltd., and Empfly Services Pvt. Ltd., all of whom have won awards and recognitions across global and national platforms.
The summit was supported by Resilio Labs as Digital Outreach Partner, Amazon Activate as Cloud Partner, and IJITCE (International Journal) as Journal Partner.
Vel Tech TBI continues to maintain a leading position in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) — ranked among the Top 5 in India (2018), 8th in 2020, and consistently placed in the 11–50 band from 2021–2023. The incubator has been recognized with several accolades, including the Best Incubator Award (2018) by Anna University and the Best Investment Catalyst Award (2024) by OneYes, hosted by Sairam Institutions.
The SAI Summit 2025 reaffirmed Vel Tech TBI’s commitment to fostering innovation, strengthening startup–investor networks, and advancing India’s technology-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through continued mentorship, strategic partnerships, and global outreach, Vel Tech TBI remains a catalyst for enabling smart, sustainable, and scalable startup growth.