Bengaluru: India witnessed a landmark moment in its innovation journey with the launch of Innovasthan – A Vichar to Vikas Yatra, a nationwide movement designed to transform ideas into scalable impact through innovation, intellectual property (IP), and collaborative partnerships. The initiative was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thawarchand Gehlot, at Hotel Shangri-La, Bengaluru, setting the tone for a new era of innovation-led development.
Spearheaded by Dr. Shweta Singh, a renowned innovation strategist and Chairperson of the Council of Industrial Innovation & Research (CIIR) powered by Ennoble IP, Innovasthan aims to bridge the gap between grassroots ideation and commercial innovation. With over a decade of dedication to empowering universities, startups, MSMEs, and higher education institutions (HEIs), Dr. Singh envisioned Innovasthan as a national yatra fostering IP awareness, technology transfer, and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems across the country.
“Our mission is to institutionalize innovation not as a one-time act but as a way of thinking—an IP-strong, innovation-first mindset,” said Dr. Shweta Singh during her address.
Delivering the keynote, Governor Shri Thawarchand Gehlot reflected on India’s ancient legacy of knowledge, citing scholarly centers such as Takshashila and Nalanda, and intellectual giants like Aryabhata and Sushruta. He emphasized the need to transform this intellectual capital into innovation capital, applauding India’s dramatic leap in the Global Innovation Index—from 81st position in 2015 to 40th in 2023. Stressing the urgency for stronger innovation frameworks, he called on institutions and innovators alike to adopt the guiding principle: “Innovate – Protect – Scale.” While acknowledging India’s strength with over 100,000 startups and 110 unicorns, he underlined a critical gap in IP protection, technology commercialization, and policy alignment that still hinders sustainable growth.
The launch event brought together some of the most influential minds from academia, government, industry, and research to build dialogues that can drive real outcomes. Dr. Chenraj Roychand, Chancellor of Jain (Deemed-to-be University), spoke about the central role of academia in cultivating entrepreneurial mindsets among youth. Prof. (Dr.) Ashutosh Sharma, President of the Indian National Science Academy, stressed the importance of building a robust pipeline from research to real-world application. Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), advocated for inclusive and vernacular-based technical education to ensure innovation reaches every corner of society.
Joining virtually, Prof. Unnat P. Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks (CGPDTM) at DPIIT, highlighted the need for IP education and capacity building as critical pillars of India’s national innovation policy. Adding a global perspective, Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, Executive Director (AMESA) at QS Quacquarelli Symonds, spoke about the role of IP in strengthening India’s position in international academic rankings and advancing impact-driven research.
One of the key highlights of the event was a high-impact panel discussion titled “From Policy to Practice – Bridging Academia, Startups, and Industry.” the discussion featured insights from thought leaders across SPJIMR, UpGrad, WIPRO, DXC Technology, and Omega Seiki Mobility. The panel addressed how to build innovation ecosystems that thrive, how to establish effective IP infrastructure, and how to ensure the scalability and commercialization of breakthrough ideas.
The event concluded with a Recognition Ceremony that honored changemakers and institutions making notable contributions to India’s innovation and IP landscape. The successful launch of Innovasthan’s Bengaluru chapter now sets the stage for an ambitious 20-state journey, with upcoming editions planned for Odisha, Bihar, Nagaland, Assam, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Delhi.
Each state chapter of Innovasthan aims to discover and document local innovations, provide comprehensive IP filing and protection support, and enable robust linkages between startups, academia, and industry. It also seeks to drive state-wise innovation benchmarking while inspiring a new generation of IP-literate innovators ready to lead India into a global innovation future.
“Innovation is not a department—it is a culture. Innovasthan is our collective commitment to making innovation India’s strongest currency,” affirmed Dr. Shweta Singh in her closing remarks.
