Campus Fund report: 17% deep-tech, Ph.D. founders rise nearly 7-fold
Campus Fund's latest report shows student-led startups in India are moving away from traditional sectors and diving into deep-tech.
In 2025, nearly 17% of the more than 7,300 startups evaluated by Campus Fund were focused on deep-tech, up from being outside the top five sectors in 2021.
Research-driven ventures are also booming, with Ph.D. founders increasing nearly seven-fold from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
Applied AI dominates student deep-tech ventures
Investor attention is shifting toward startups that can defend their markets, not just execute ideas.
Edtech and service-based startups have dropped sharply, thanks to generative AI automating things like tutoring and freelancing.
The startup scene is spreading beyond big cities like Delhi and Bengaluru, with new hubs popping up in places like Pilani, Vellore, and Bhubaneswar.
Most deep-tech student ventures (about 79%) are centered on applied AI, while fields like quantum tech and photonics remain niche for now.