CHENNAI: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has launched a School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to formalise and strengthen its growing deep-tech startup ecosystem. The initiative aims to position IIT Madras among globally recognised entrepreneurial universities.

IIT-M Director V Kamakoti inaugurated the school on August 4 in the presence of key faculty members, alumnae, industry partners, startup founders, and students. Professor Prabhu Rajagopal, a Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awardee and Mechanical Engineering faculty member, will head the school.

"IIT Madras currently hosts over 475 startups valued at over Rs 50,000 crore under the IIT-M Incubation Cell and sector-specific incubators. These startups have generated 11,000+ jobs, filed over 700 patents, and attracted investments worth Rs 12,000 crore," an official release said.

The School will offer an MS (Entrepreneurship) degree, a Minor in Entrepreneurship, and practice-led undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. It will also host an 'Entrepreneur-in-Residence' cohort and launch an industry-driven Innovation Doctorate. A unique feature includes IP clinics and support for filing patents through the IIT-M IPM Cell.

The School will also create funding mechanisms to support early-stage and scaling-up phases of startups. A dedicated Rs 200 crore IIT-M Alumni Fund will support ventures incubated on campus.

"This initiative will institutionalise our innovation efforts. With over 100 startups launched last year alone, this is a natural next step," said Kamakoti. The School builds upon existing platforms such as the Centre for Innovation (CFI), Nirmaan pre-incubator, e-Cell, Gopalakrishnan Deshpande Centre, and RuTAG Cell.

It will coordinate academic and extracurricular activities across these entities to enable a structured startup pipeline. Professor Rajagopal noted that the School will offer long-term support to aspiring founders through mentorship, funding, IP assistance, and academic integration.