IIT Madras, Guidance TN develops state-level dashboard to showcase start-ups

IIT Madras and Guidance Tamil Nadu have joined hands to create a digital platform that tracks and promotes the state’s start-up and innovation landscape.

The new dashboard, called “INNOVATION-TN,” is designed to give a detailed snapshot of Tamil Nadu’s entrepreneurial ecosystem while connecting start-ups with investors, industries, and financial institutions.

According to official figures, Tamil Nadu is home to nearly 19,000 start-ups as of August 2025. These ventures have collectively generated more than 2.2 lakh jobs and attracted investments exceeding ₹1,20,000 crore.

Of them, 45 start-ups have each secured over ₹200 crore in funding. The state also leads the country with 228 active incubators and start-up enabling organizations.

“The dashboard will help policymakers to focus on the sectoral strengths of the different districts and develop suitable policies and programs,” V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras.

“The dashboard also showcases the pool of start-ups to national and global investors, thereby attracting investments from the global Tamil diaspora as well as savvy angel and institutional investors,” Kamakoti added.

The platform was conceptualized by the Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST), a research center at IIT Madras, along with YNOS Venture Engine, a start-up incubated at the institute.

An MoU was signed between Guidance Tamil Nadu, IIT Madras, and YNOS to develop the dashboard.

Under the partnership, IIT Madras will provide academic oversight and research expertise, while Guidance Tamil Nadu will extend institutional support, promote industry collaboration, and align the initiative with the state’s innovation agenda.

A Thillai Rajan, faculty at the Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras, and Head of CREST, said, “The platform helps the start-ups to quickly identify the most relevant and appropriate incubators, investors, and banks for their ventures, thereby saving significant time and effort and improving the chances of success.”

“The Tamil Nadu Innovation Platform is a catalyst for collaboration between industries, start-ups, R&Dfirms, and academic institutions across the state,” said Darez Ahamed, MD and CEO of Guidance Tamil Nadu.

“By spotlighting sectoral strengths in each district, we are enabling corporates to integrate into thriving local ecosystems, investors to identify promising opportunities, and policymakers to design targeted interventions that accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth,” Ahamed added.