i-Hub Gujarat, in collaboration with SanchiConnect, successfully hosted Venture X - The Deep Tech Edition, Investor-Startup Connect 2025 on March 5th and 6th. The event provided a dynamic platform for DeepTech startups to connect with leading investors, fostering funding opportunities, knowledge exchange, and ecosystem collaboration. This initiative highlights Gujarat’s growing prominence as a hub for DeepTech innovation and entrepreneurship, accelerating the state's vision of becoming a leader in emerging technologies.

The two-day event featured One-on-One Pitching sessions, where over 25+ DeepTech startups presented their cutting-edge innovations to 19+ marquee investors. These startups showcased solutions in SpaceTech, Quantum Computing, Semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Renewable Energy, demonstrating India's rising capabilities in transformative technologies. Startups such as Keepsake Automation, Omspace Rocket & Exploration Pvt. Ltd., Latent Heat2Comfort Technologies, Akrivia BioSciences Pvt. Ltd., Power Profit Technologies, Neweb AI, Carrus Mobility Solutions, and BUDDI AI, among others, engaged directly with investors to explore potential funding and strategic partnerships.

Reflecting on the success of the event, Dr. Sunil K Shekhawat, CEO of SanchiConnect, said, “Venture X 2025 has provided Deepi Tech startups with a strong platform to engage directly with investors and industry leaders. The interactions during the event helped startups understand what investors look for when evaluating funding opportunities. By bringing together early-stage ventures and established investors, we are enabling meaningful conversations that can lead to long-term growth and success.”

Adding to this, Hiranmay Mahanta, CEO, i-Hub - A Government of Gujarat Initiative, remarked, “Gujarat has long been the epicenter of entrepreneurial spirit, and as i-Hub, we’re dedicated to turbocharging ventures that harness technology to create cutting-edge businesses and tackle real-world challenges. This is just the beginning! We’re poised to launch even more initiatives to empower deep tech startups across the state, igniting a revolution in innovation and entrepreneurship. The future is bright, and we’re excited to see the impact of these trailblazing ventures!”

The event was graced by esteemed dignitaries, including Shri. Amit Thaker, MLA, Vejalpur, Smt. Sunaina Tomar, IAS, ACS, Higher and Technical Education, GoG, Shri. M Nagarajan, IAS, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of GSRTC, Dr. Ranjit Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Technical Education, Uttarakhand, Shri Yogesh Brahmankar, Innovation Director, MoE’s Innovation Cell, Government of India along with other Uttarakhand government officials.

Prominent venture capital firms and investment funds participated in the event, offering insights into investment trends, startup scalability, and key funding considerations. Investors included Seafund, ThinKuvate, Blume Ventures, BEENEXT, Pi Ventures, Kalaari Capital, Speciale Invest, Java Capital, Inflexor Ventures, and Bluehill VC, among others, highlighting the growing investor interest in India’s DeepTech ecosystem. Discussions focused on emerging investment opportunities, the importance of intellectual property (IP) protection, market validation, and sustainability in scaling DeepTech startups.

The event also featured two high-impact panel discussions, further enriching the discourse on DeepTech funding and growth strategies. The first panel, Investment Trends and Opportunities in DeepTech brought together experts to discuss key investment considerations, challenges in early-stage DeepTech funding, and the evolving investor mindset in 2025. The second panel, The Path to Series A – What Founders Need to Know, provided startups with strategic insights into securing Series A funding, structuring investment rounds, and overcoming common scaling challenges.