Tamil Nadu unveils India’s first deep-tech start-up policy

(From left) Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Minister for Information Technology of Tamil Nadu, MP Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and TM Anbarasan, Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises unveil the Deep Tech Policy 2025-2026 of Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu Deep-Tech Startup Policy 2025-26 will aim to support innovators in transforming cutting-edge research into scalable solutions. The policy has earmarked ₹100 crore in investments and will support 100 start-ups.

The policy was unveiled by Prime Minister MK Stalin on Thursday at the 4th edition of ‘Umagine’, the state’s flagship technology conference.

Umagine aims to bring together the key players of the technology ecosystem and provide a platform for the community of technology-driven businesses to both flourish in the state. The event positions itself as a destination of choice for both global and young technology companies and to showcase their technologies of the future.

The event also saw the exchange of multiple MoUs between the government and private sector companies, including Better Compute Works, who will set up an AI data center with an investment of ₹5,000 crore, creating 1,450 jobs, Eros GenAI, who will expand their AI R&D center, invest ₹3,600 crores and create 1,000 jobs, and Phantom Digital Effects, who will expand their VFX operation in Chennai will expand at an investment of ₹ 100, crores which will include employment to 1000 persons.

Speaking at the event, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Minister of Information Technology and Digital, said that in the run-up to Umagine, the Tamil Nadu government has also conducted multiple workshops and technology lectures in 60 educational institutions across 23 districts led by field experts and university alumni under the banner of Umagine DX.

He added that 40 start-ups have also been selected through StartupTN to promote their innovations at the Umagine. These start-ups will also have the opportunity to make their case to venture capitalists and other enablers in Dubai, Singapore and Sharjah in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Published on January 8, 2026