Chennai startup takes Rs 3 lakh for aging infrastructure safety technology at IIT Madras event

A Chennai startup that is working on fiber-optic sensors to monitor aging infrastructure took the first prize of 3 lakh at Sangam 2025, the global innovation and alumni meet of IIT Madras and its alumni association.

Folium Sensing emerged victorious at the startup pitchfest held on July 4 in Bengaluru. 20 deep tech and AI startups presented their ideas to over 250 venture investors and capitalists there.

The product of the company is based on fibre-optic sensing technology, which monitors infrastructure in real-time, whereas its scalable product allows it to detect structural gaps in factories, bridges, and buildings. Its technology has the ability to transform infrastructure safety, particularly that of ageing urban infrastructure.

Q-AXIS MOTORS AND ZENTOR MEDTECH WINNERS TOO

Q-axis Motors ranked second by creating India's first sub-100rad precision gimbals that are designed to be utilized in the defence, drone, and surveillance industries. Their precision motion control products deliver stunning enhancements in targeting and stability to unmanned vehicles and platforms.

Third place went to Zentor Medtech for its breakthrough of the world's first patented solid-state laser technology for ophthalmic surgery. The technology offers enhanced precision and safety of ophthalmic treatments, offering a substitute for conventional laser systems with the solidity of dependability.

CELEBRATING AI, INNOVATION, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Organized on July 4 and 5 in Bengaluru, Sangam 2025 had more than 500 delegates from the entrepreneurial community, faculty, alumni, and investors. The issues of interest covered Artificial Intelligence, innovation, and entrepreneurship that reasserted IIT Madras as a national leader in deep tech research and commercialisation.

Talking about the event, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said: "I have observed the passion, the enthusiasm, the good ideas and the desire to attempt the new, the curiosity with which all of you have conducted your work, it actually makes all of us proud of your work a lot that now, after already allocating the entire first tranche of 'Fund of Funds' of Rs. 10,000 Crore in the last budget, now extra Rs. 10,000 Crore has now been approved as Tranche 2."

He also instructed that a $12 billion (Rs 1 lakh crore) interest-free loan has been approved by the Cabinet for the Department of Science and Technology to fund next-generation technology by providing flexible funding schemes to be reinvested again as success builds innovation.

IIT MADRAS POURS PRESSURE FOR 'VIKSIT BHARAT 2047'

Last week, while delivering a speech, IIT Madras Director Prof. V Kamakoti had mentioned, "IIT Madras will spearhead the efforts to translate 'Viksit Bharat 2047' into reality. Entrepreneurship and innovation are at the top of its agenda and are the ones that drive National progress. The upcoming 'Sangam 2025' event is a reflection of the vision in the form of a well-thought-out series of events to make India a country of entrepreneurship and product innovation world champion."

Other dignitary guests are Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, Axilor Ventures & Co-founder, Infosys, Dr S Somanath, Vikram Sarabhai Professor and ex-Chairman, ISRO -- both eminent alumni of IIT Madras -- and Shri Tejasvi Surya, Hon'ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Bengaluru South.

The conclave also featured top-level interactions with Aparna Chennapragada (Microsoft), Srinivas Narayanan (OpenAI), Tarun Mehta (Ather Energy), Kris Gopalakrishnan (Infosys), and Dr S Somanath (former Chairman, ISRO) -- all IIT Madras alumni.

FROM STARTUPS TO GLOBAL IMPACT

The Pitchfest witnessed the presence of AI, health, biotech, quantum computing, logistics, and climate tech startups. All the shortlisted startups will now be incubated by the IIT Madras Innovation Ecosystem, which has incubated more than 500 startups in the past decade.

As Shyamala Rajaram, President, IIT Madras Alumni Association, aptly put it: "Sangam 2025 is the collective strength of IIT Madras and its global alumni -- driving audacious debates on innovation and entrepreneurship."

Through all such initiatives, IIT Madras is reasserting itself as a center for technology of global transformation and economic development.