The dashboard provides a comprehensive, data-driven view of Tamil Nadu’s vibrant start-up landscape, making it a one-stop information hub for stakeholders, including investors, start-up founders, industries, financial institutions, and policymakers.
INNOVATION-TN was conceptualized by the Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST), an Institute of Eminence Research Centre at IIT Madras, in collaboration with the IIT Madras-incubated start-up YNOS Venture Engine. The platform leverages CREST’s proprietary start-up and investor data infrastructure to deliver real-time insights, said a statement.
“The launch of the Tamil Nadu Innovation Platform marks a pivotal step in our journey towards promoting innovation and strengthening our entrepreneurial ecosystem. It reflects our government’s vision to position Tamil Nadu as the national leader in innovation, advanced manufacturing, and inclusive economic growth, ensuring that opportunities are accessible across every district, not just in metropolitan hubs,” said T.R.B. Rajaa, Minister for Industries, Investment Promotions and Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu currently stands as India’s second-largest industrial economy and has emerged as a leading hub for start-ups. As of August 2025, the state is home to nearly 19,000 start-ups, which have collectively created over 2.2 lakh jobs and attracted investments exceeding ₹1.2 lakh crore. Notably, 45 of these start-ups have each raised more than ₹200 crore in funding. The state also boasts 228 active incubators and enabling organizations — the highest for any state in the country.
“The dashboard will help policymakers focus on the sectoral strengths of different districts and develop suitable policies and programs. It also showcases the state’s start-up ecosystem to both national and global investors, including the Tamil diaspora and institutional backers,” said Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras.
The formal agreement for the development of the dashboard was signed on 23 July 2025 between Guidance Tamil Nadu, IIT Madras, and YNOS. Under the MoU, IIT Madras will provide academic oversight and research inputs to ensure the dashboard’s accuracy and relevance, while Guidance Tamil Nadu will align it with the state’s innovation priorities and promote strategic industry-academia engagement.
“Entrepreneurs and start-up founders often lack access to the right information. This platform allows them to identify relevant incubators, investors, and banks quickly — saving time and significantly improving their success rate. Corporates, too, will find it a valuable tool to identify start-ups to collaborate with on innovation initiatives,” said Prof. A. Thillai Rajan, Head of CREST.
Darez Ahamed, MD & CEO of Guidance Tamil Nadu, added that the dashboard would act as a catalyst for collaboration across sectors. “By spotlighting sectoral strengths in each district, we are enabling corporates to integrate into thriving local ecosystems, investors to identify promising opportunities, and policymakers to design targeted interventions that accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth,” he added.
