Kozhikode: The business incubator of the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), will host PIVOT 2026 – the DeepTech Innovation and Venture Summit on September 18 and 19, 2026, at Lulu Twin Towers, Infopark, Kochi.
The two-day summit is expected to bring together 1,000+ entrepreneurs, startup founders, investors, industry leaders, mentors, researchers, innovators and ecosystem enablers, creating a platform for meaningful conversations and connections across India’s emerging DeepTech and startup ecosystem.
With 40+ speakers and 25+ expert and speaker sessions, PIVOT 2026 will focus on the opportunities and challenges confronting technology-led ventures as they move from innovation to commercialisation and scale. Discussions will cover DeepTech and Artificial Intelligence, fundraising and investment readiness, corporate innovation, industry partnerships, market access, entrepreneurship and venture growth.
Leaders and experts from organisations including Walmart, Deloitte, PwC, Microsoft, AWS, Qualcomm, Xpressbees, IndiaAI Mission and the Department of Science & Technology (DST) are among those participating in the summit.
Some prominent names include: Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Governing Board Member, India AI Mission; Harish Balasubramanian, Director Innovation & Technology Strategy, Walmart Global Tech India; Arvind Saraf, Engineering Leader, Microsoft; Raghu A, Partner Deloitte India; Abhishek, TMT Practice Leader PwC India.
Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Chairman, IIMK LIVE and Director, IIM Kozhikode, who will be part of the PIVOT 2026 plenary session, added:
“We find ourselves in an era where Deep Technology is shaping the future. At IIMK LIVE, we believe this future is built when innovators, entrepreneurs, industry, investors and mentors come together. PIVOT 2026 brings these diverse voices onto one platform, creating connections between startups and investors, innovators and industry, and ideas and opportunities. With 40+ speakers, 25+ mentoring sessions and over 1,000 participants expected, PIVOT 2026 offers a space to learn, engage and collaborate as we build, enable and shape the future of Deep Technology.”
PIVOT 2026 is designed to connect founders and innovators with the networks and expertise needed to take their ventures to the next stage. The summit will bring together perspectives from investors, entrepreneurs, corporates, technology experts, mentors and policymakers, with conversations centred on practical questions of building and scaling ventures.
The programme will feature thought-leadership conversations, founder-focused discussions, investor interactions, industry sessions, mentoring and networking opportunities, enabling participants to explore pathways to capital, markets, partnerships, knowledge and growth.
Through its sessions and interactions, PIVOT 2026 will examine some of the critical questions facing the next generation of technology ventures:
- What are investors looking for in DeepTech ventures?
- How can DeepTech innovations translate into scalable businesses?
- How can startups build meaningful industry partnerships and unlock new markets?
- What does it take to move from technological innovation to measurable impact?
As the flagship entrepreneurship and innovation summit of IIMK LIVE, PIVOT 2026 seeks to strengthen connections across the startup ecosystem and create opportunities for collaboration among startups, investors, corporates, industry, academia, mentors and policymakers.
Registrations for PIVOT 2026 are now open. Entrepreneurs, founders, investors, professionals, innovators, researchers, students and other ecosystem stakeholders can register to participate in the summit.
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