IIT Bombay Partners ideaForge to Back Early-Stage Deep-Tech Ideas
Under the MoU, a six-month programme titled ‘Who Are the Next Idiots?’ was launched to attract participants working on concept-stage or early prototype ideas rooted in deep tech.
IIT Bombay
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The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and ideaForge Technology on Tuesday announced an agreement to encourage future technology leaders to develop ideas that solve real-world problems while demonstrating strong technical depth and entrepreneurial intent.
Under the memorandum of understanding, a six-month programme titled ‘Who Are the Next Idiots?’ was launched to attract participants working on concept-stage or early prototype ideas rooted in deep technology, according to ET reports.
“This collaboration aims to create a structured platform to identify and nurture early-stage deep-tech ideas with strong technical foundations and real-world relevance. By combining academic expertise with industry experience, we seek to support participants through evaluation, mentorship, and potential incubation pathways, while fostering a culture of innovation,” IIT Bombay Dean, Alumni and Corporate Relations, Upendra Bhandarkar, said.
Undergraduate and post-graduate students, recent graduates, and early-stage founders can participate individually or in teams of up to three or four members and submit original deep-tech ideas with potential to scale.
Registrations opened on February 28 and will remain open until April 30, 2026. Submissions will be evaluated in multiple stages based on technical depth, originality, feasibility, and entrepreneurial intent.
In the final stage, participants will demonstrate feasibility through a 3D model, digital twin, or working prototype, depending on idea maturity.
“Through ‘Who Are the Next Idiots?’, we aim to identify and support founders building technically ambitious solutions across robotics, energy systems, advanced materials, and autonomous technologies,” ideaForge Technology cofounder and vice president engineering, Rahul Singh, added.
IIT Bombay will also support outreach through its innovation ecosystem and institutional networks, assist in evaluation, and enable interactions with shortlisted participants, while exploring incubation opportunities and support mechanisms for queries. The programme seeks to strengthen India’s deep-tech innovation pipeline further.
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and ideaForge Technology on Tuesday announced an agreement to encourage future technology leaders to develop ideas that solve real-world problems while demonstrating strong technical depth and entrepreneurial intent.
Under the memorandum of understanding, a six-month programme titled ‘Who Are the Next Idiots?’ was launched to attract participants working on concept-stage or early prototype ideas rooted in deep technology, according to ET reports.
“This collaboration aims to create a structured platform to identify and nurture early-stage deep-tech ideas with strong technical foundations and real-world relevance. By combining academic expertise with industry experience, we seek to support participants through evaluation, mentorship, and potential incubation pathways, while fostering a culture of innovation,” IIT Bombay Dean, Alumni and Corporate Relations, Upendra Bhandarkar, said.
