Mumbai: ImagiNxt 2026 concluded in Mumbai after two days of discussions around India’s growing ambitions in AI, DeepTech, SpaceTech and digital infrastructure, bringing together founders, policymakers, investors and technology leaders to explore the future of innovation and emerging technologies in India.
Hosted by Maharashtra Tourism at the Jio World Convention Centre, the platform focused on conversations around sovereign AI, indigenous R&D, private space innovation, drone technologies and the evolution of India’s DeepTech ecosystem.
One of the key themes emerging from the event was the need for India to strengthen indigenous technology capabilities and reduce dependence on global technology ecosystems.
Addressing the audience, Sridhar Vembu, Founder & Chief Scientist, Zoho Corporation, spoke about sovereign AI and long-term investment in research and engineering as critical pillars for building globally competitive Indian technology systems.
Highlighting the scale of long-term innovation investment required, Vembu noted that Zoho has filed over 30 patents in recent years through its rural R&D teams and is also investing in semiconductors, quantum sensing and advanced materials. He also pointed to rising AI infrastructure costs globally, with server expenses increasing 3–4x over the last six months due to growing demand.
Sridhar Vembu, Founder & Chief Scientist, Zoho Corporation, said, “India cannot afford to remain only a consumer of global technology platforms. The country has the talent and capability to build its own long-term technology and AI ecosystems, provided we invest patiently in research, engineering and indigenous innovation.”
The event also featured discussions on India’s expanding startup and innovation ecosystem. During a fireside chat, Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, highlighted that the initiative has impacted over 1.1 crore students and established more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, helping drive grassroots innovation beyond metro cities.
India’s growing private SpaceTech ecosystem was another key focus area at the event. Srinath Ravichandran, Co-Founder & CEO, Agnikul Cosmos, spoke about the rapid evolution of India’s space innovation landscape, driven by policy support and increasing confidence in indigenous engineering capabilities.
Discussions around drone and counter-drone technologies explored the growing use of drones across logistics, infrastructure security and defence applications. Industry leaders also highlighted the need for India’s civil drone and counter-drone ecosystems to evolve together.
Smit Shah, President, Drone Federation of India, noted that India now has over 600 drone companies and more than 200 drone component manufacturers, creating a strong foundation for indigenous capability development.
Smit Shah, President, Drone Federation of India, said, “The future is about identifying compliant drones and separating them from careless or criminal use. The goal is to build protocols where a counter-drone system can neutralise an illegal UAV without disrupting a legitimate drone operating in the same airspace.”
ImagiNxt 2026 also saw international participation across the creator economy, technology and data-led innovation tracks.
Stefano Fallaha, Founder and CEO, Podeo, delivered a keynote on how podcasting is reshaping influence and what India’s creator economy can learn from audio-first platforms in emerging markets.
Dana Aleff, CEO and Co-Founder, Circonomit, delivered a keynote on the limits of AI and why several enterprise challenges require deterministic optimisation rather than large language models.
The event also featured a creator economy discussion with Paul Sirisant, CEO, Cloud 11 Bangkok, and Elise Lilliehöök, CEO and Co-Founder, Mingla, on how physical spaces, technology and intentional community-building can turn large gatherings into meaningful networks.
Beyond conference sessions, ImagiNxt 2026 featured immersive technology showcases and live demonstrations, including humanoid robots greeting attendees, AI-powered anti-drone systems, the Indrajaal defence vehicle display, AR/VR experiences and startup showcases.
The event attracted founders, investors, technology professionals, students, researchers and AI enthusiasts across sectors. Emerging as a key engagement highlight, LearnTube.ai conducted AI-focused workshops, assessments and interactive learning experiences, with attendees participating in live AI proficiency assessments at the venue.
Deepak Lamba, Founder and CEO of ImagiNxt, said, “The future of innovation will be shaped by stronger collaboration between founders, investors, policymakers, researchers and technology leaders. ImagiNxt was envisioned as a platform that brings these ecosystems together under one roof to enable conversations, partnerships and ideas shaping the next generation of technology and entrepreneurship from India.”
ImagiNxt is India’s global festival of technology, innovation and the future of business – bringing together the people building what’s next. It’s not just a conference – it’s a catalyst for ideas, partnerships and decisions that define the future.
ImagiNxt brings together founders, policymakers, enterprise leaders, investors, academia and public institutions. Designed as a convergent ecosystem, it aims to shape conversations and enable action around the future of industries and economies.
