A National Dialogue on Transforming Ideas into Intellectual Property, Startups, Enterprises and Global Innovation Leadership
Mumbai, 11 June 2026: The National Stock Exchange (NSE), Mumbai witnessed the grand launch of the book “IP to IPO: Decolonizing Academic Startup Revolution – Building Innovation Ecosystems for Viksit Bharat 2047”, authored by Shri Umesh Rathod, Founder – Lean Campus Startups and Innovation Ecosystem Mentor.
The landmark event brought together distinguished leaders from government, industry, academia, startups, investment, intellectual property, incubation, research, and innovation ecosystems to deliberate on India's journey from Intellectual Property creation to Enterprise creation and the role of academic institutions in building an innovation-led Bharat. The book presents a vision to transform universities and research institutions into engines of innovation by bridging the gap between research, patents, commercialization, entrepreneurship, and economic value creation.
The event was graced by eminent dignitaries including
- Hon’ble Shri Ashish Shelar Ji, Minister for Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence & Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
- Hon’ble Shri Mangal Prabhat Lodha Ji, Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of Maharashtra;
- Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan Ji, MD & CEO, National Stock Exchange
- Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar Ji
- Padma Vibhushan Prof. M. M. Sharma Ji, former Director, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai and other distinguished leaders from the innovation ecosystem.
The programme commenced with the invocation of Goddess Saraswati, symbolising knowledge, creativity, and learning, followed by discussions around the central theme of “IP to IPO” — converting ideas into innovation, innovation into intellectual property, intellectual property into enterprises, and enterprises into national value creation.
Vision of IP to IPO
Speaking about the vision behind the book, Shri Umesh Rathod highlighted the need for India to move beyond being a consumer of technology and emerge as a creator of globally competitive technologies and enterprises. He emphasized that Indian universities must evolve beyond traditional academic roles and become innovation hubs where research, entrepreneurship, startups, and industry collaboration come together.
“The journey from IP to IPO represents the journey from knowledge creation to economic and societal impact. India's classrooms, laboratories, and research centres have the potential to become the foundation of the next generation of global enterprises,” he said. Keynote Address by Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan
Delivering the keynote address, Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, National Stock Exchange, highlighted the importance of strengthening the pathway from innovation to capital markets. He emphasized the need for stronger mechanisms that enable startups and research-driven enterprises to scale, access investment, and contribute towards India's economic growth story.
Message from Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar : Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, who has contributed the foreword to the book, shared a special message highlighting the importance of innovation-led development and strengthening India's intellectual property ecosystem. He emphasized the need for transforming academic knowledge into impactful innovations that can address societal challenges and contribute towards nation-building.
Contribution of Academic and Innovation Leaders
Padma Vibhushan Prof. M. M. Sharma graced the occasion with his esteemed presence and enriched the event with his remarkable legacy in science, research, innovation, and academic excellence. His lifelong contribution to scientific advancement continues to inspire generations of researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs.
Panel Discussion: “Decolonizing Academic Startup Revolution” - A special panel discussion was organised on the theme: “Decolonizing Academic Startup Revolution”. The discussion focused on creating stronger bridges between academia, intellectual property, incubation, startups, investment, and industry.
The panel explored key themes including:
• Academic entrepreneurship
• Commercialisation of research
• Startup creation from universities
• Intellectual property protection
• Innovation-driven institution building
• India's roadmap towards Viksit Bharat 2047
The panel featured experts and ecosystem leaders:
• Adv. Persis Hodiwalla – JP Legal Corp
• Shri Prasad Menon – President, ISBA
• Shri Nikhil Chandwani – Author, Influencer & Founder, Santerra Industries
• Shri Anish Maheshwari – MD & CEO, VSure Investment Affairs
• Madan Sundar Das Prabhu Ji – ISKCON Pune
IP to IPO Awards 2026
The event also hosted the first edition of the IP to IPO Awards 2026, recognising distinguished individuals and institutions contributing towards innovation, entrepreneurship, education, incubation, investment, intellectual property and ecosystem development. The awards celebrated changemakers who are contributing towards building a stronger innovation economy and supporting India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
Partner Ecosystem Support
The successful execution of the initiative was strengthened through the support of various ecosystem partners including:
- Venue Partner: National Stock Exchange
- Outdoor Partner: Global Advertising
- Associate Partner: SIDBI
- Media Partners: Success Stories, Pable Films, Hamara Mahanagar
- Wardrobe Partner: Taylor Smart
- Startup Ecosystem Partner: VSure Investment Affairs
- Incubation Partner: ISBA
- IP Partner: Incdy
- Patent Strategists: Artemis Law Associates
- Event Partner: Viki India
- Execution Partner: Lean Campus Startups
- Curation Partner: Research Alpha Consulting
- Decolonizing Partner: Prachyam
- Community Partners: Savishkar India, Manas Parivar
- Good Times Partners: Janmatitithi, Amardeep Metals
- Engagement Partner: Velos Media
- CleanTech Partner: Amlan River Corp
- Hospitality Partners: Missal Katta, Yesur Moringa Soup
Towards Viksit Bharat 2047
The launch of “IP to IPO” represents a larger movement towards building an innovation ecosystem where ideas are nurtured, protected, commercialised, and scaled into enterprises. The initiative reinforces the belief that India's future growth will be driven by collaboration between academia, government, industry, startups, investors, and innovators. The vision of IP to IPO is to create a pathway where knowledge becomes innovation, innovation becomes intellectual property, intellectual property becomes enterprise, and enterprise becomes a contributor to national development. Viksit Bharat 2047 will be powered by ideas, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the collective aspirations of India’s innovators.