The 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, running October 7–10 at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi, has put deeptech and frontier technologies at the centre of its startup programme ASPIRE — with a sharp focus on helping startups move from prototypes to market opportunities, investment and scale.
Organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), this year's ASPIRE is expected to bring together more than 500 startups and MSMEs and over 300 venture capital firms, angel networks, incubators and corporate innovation firms. The programme will facilitate more than 700 curated one-on-one meetings between startups and investors.
Deeptech is the headline theme: sessions will cover artificial intelligence, intelligent hardware, connectivity, semiconductors and SpaceTech, alongside masterclasses on intellectual property and legal frameworks led by experts from DPIIT and the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). Another focus is helping AI startups move from prototypes to production.
The programme includes ASPIRE Live Pitch-15, where 15 shortlisted startups will pitch to an investor panel, followed by the ASPIRE NextGen Startup Awards across technology sectors. Investor and mentoring arenas, guided investor tours and speed-pitching sessions will connect early-stage founders directly with capital and industry mentors.
With IMC also launching its 'Viksit Tech 47' platform to build Indian technology brands for global markets, this year's congress is positioning itself as a deal-making venue for deeptech — not just a telecom showcase.
Why it matters for founders
700+ curated investor meetings in four days is rare, concentrated access to capital. Deeptech and AI-infrastructure founders should treat ASPIRE's Live Pitch-15 and NextGen Startup Awards as a national stage: the DPIIT and C-DOT masterclasses alone make it worth attending for anyone navigating IP, certification and go-to-market in regulated tech sectors.