||

Connecting Communities, One Page at a Time.

Tata Steel, IIT Bhubaneswar and India Accelerator to launch TomorrowLAB for startups

Anchored at IIT Bhubaneswar REP, the TomorrowLAB Accelerator aims to connect startups with mentorship, technical guidance, and commercialization opportunities in partnership with Tata Steel and India Accelerator.

Pragya Kumari 18 August 2025 05:57

Tata Steel, IIT Bhubaneswar and India Accelerator to launch TomorrowLAB for startups

Tata Steel has entered into a partnership with IIT Bhubaneswar Research & Entrepreneurship Park (IIT BBSR REP) and India Accelerator to launch the TomorrowLAB Accelerator Program for startups. The six-month initiative, formalized through an MoU, will begin in September.

Designed to support early-stage companies with a minimum viable product and initial market traction, the program will provide resources, mentorship, and opportunities for industry engagement.

Advertisement

It is part of the larger collaboration between Tata Steel and IIT BBSR REP that began in February 2024 to promote innovation and strengthen ties between academia and industry.

“The company has been working with industry and academia partners for the last several years to accelerate our sustainability agenda. We see huge potential within the startup ecosystem in India, where young innovators are working to build solutions for some of the most difficult business challenges,” said Subodh Pandey, Vice President of Technology, R&D, NMB, and Graphene, Tata Steel.

“Odisha is playing a significant role in boosting the startup ecosystem with initiatives such as ‘100 Cube.’ The TomorrowLAB Accelerator Program is yet another step in the same direction and holds great potential to become the innovation hub of Eastern India,” Pandey added.

The program will be anchored at IIT Bhubaneswar, with India Accelerator providing additional support.

Its key focus areas include mentorship, technical guidance, capacity-building workshops, and access to funding and commercialization opportunities.

Advertisement

Startups will also benefit from IA’s and IIT BBSR REP’s network for market access, partnerships, and business development.

Tata Steel plans to engage select startups from the cohort for pilot projects in areas aligned with its growth journey, including water management, waste heat recovery, and robotics and automation.

Through TomorrowLAB, its flagship startup engagement program, Tata Steel has already been working with domestic and international startups to find solutions for challenges in the steel value chain and beyond.

Also Read