At a pivotal moment for India’s startup ecosystem, TiE Delhi-NCR hosted the second edition of Capital Connect 2026 at Leela Ambience, Gurugram, bringing together over 300 curated participants, including investors, policymakers, family offices, LPs, global funds, and HNIs. The forum focused on capital allocation trends, deeptech opportunities, and the growing role of domestic and sovereign capital in shaping India’s innovation economy.
The event featured leading voices such as Manoj Mittal (SIDBI), Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (ANRF), Sanjeev Aggarwal (Fundamentum Partnership), Mohit Dhawan (Hero Enterprises), Sudhir Rao (Celesta Capital), Vikram Gupta (IvyCap Ventures), Sandeep Sinha (Oister Global), Dr Jyoti Sharma (Department of Science & Technology), and Padmaja Ruparel (Indian Angel Network), among others.
Domestic Capital Emerges as a Key Growth Driver
Speaking on India’s evolving capital landscape, Manoj Mittal, CMD, SIDBI, highlighted a sixfold rise in domestic capital since 2016, supported by initiatives such as Fund of Funds 2.0 and the proposed ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund. He noted that sectors like AI, spacetech, defence, and deeptech are emerging as defining opportunities, but emphasised the need for stronger AIF participation, incubator capacity, and talent pipelines to unlock full potential.
Deeptech, Policy and Institutional Innovation Take Centre Stage
Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO of ANRF, outlined the institution’s role in building India’s deep science and innovation pipeline. He noted that ANRF aims to bridge academia, industry, and startups through early-stage de-risking, mission-mode programmes, and patient capital deployment, enabling a transition from research to investable opportunities.
Dr Jyoti Sharma from the Department of Science & Technology highlighted the ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund as a key catalyst for deeptech growth, designed to support high-risk, high-impact projects and crowd in private capital by funding up to 50 percent of project costs.
Startup Showcase and Emerging Fund Managers in Focus
A key highlight was the Exclusive Startup Showcase featuring Talkfever, Olbrain, and Gabify, where early-stage startups pitched to active investors, enabling targeted engagement and potential partnerships.
The event also unveiled the GP Watchlist 2026 in partnership with Oister Global, recognising emerging fund managers, with Mitin Jain of India SME Fund among the honourees.
Geetika Daya, Director General, TiE Delhi-NCR, noted that the forum reflects a shift from short-term momentum to long-term institution building, positioning Capital Connect as a key platform shaping India’s next decade of innovation-led growth.
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