The rise and fall of technology start-ups have become a hallmark of the global economy in the 21st century. In this context, deep-tech start-ups—which develop advanced technological solutions to complex social and economic challenges—stand out for their resilience and long-term growth potential.

This international conference aims to unite renowned academics, policymakers, industry leaders, and innovation ecosystem stakeholders to explore how Entrepreneurial Universities can help shape and sustain a thriving deep-tech start-up environment.

As the Joint Co-Chair of the Conference, I invite Researchers and academics specially working in the deep-tech space to submit original papers, pitch decks and case studies aligned with the conference theme to reflect their innovation journey.

Dr. Lina Sonne is an Innovation Economist and Associate Professor at the Desai Sethi School of Entrepreneurship (DSSE), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Her research focuses on the intersection of technological change and digitisation and their societal implications, particularly within the contexts of AI in business, entrepreneurship, innovation systems, and sustainable development. She has a strong interest in social entrepreneurship, gender and technology, and the creative industries in India.

She brings over two decades of academic and advisory experience, having previously held faculty positions at FLAME University, O.P. Jindal Global University, and Azim Premji University. Beyond academia, she has served in leadership roles at Inblick Innovation Advisory and Okapi Advisory Services, guiding innovation and entrepreneurship strategy in emerging markets.

Her academic training includes a PhD from United Nations University-MERIT, an MSc from City, University of London, and a BA (Hons) from London South Bank University, with an Erasmus exchange at HEC Lausanne. At IIT Bombay, she teaches social entrepreneurship, business model innovation, and research communication courses while actively contributing to policy and academic discourse on inclusive and sustainable innovation.

Prof. Phani has had an illustrious and impactful 15-year journey at IIT Kanpur, where he currently serves as the Head of the Department and Professor. His administrative roles include Professor-in-Charge of the Syndicate Bank Entrepreneurship Research and Training Center (SBERTC), the Information and Media Outreach Cell, and Chief Investigator at the E&ICT Academy, IIT Kanpur.

Over the years, he has held key leadership positions such as Dean of Resources & Alumni, Head of the SIDBI Innovation and Incubation Center, and Associate Dean of Innovation & Incubation. He has led the design and implementation of several strategic initiatives, including IIT Kanpur’s entrepreneurship and seed fund policies, and large-scale innovation ecosystems involving 11 incubators, five labs, and a 400,000 sq. ft. S&T park.

With more than 3,000 hours of teaching across premier Indian and international institutions (including IITs, IIMs, Copenhagen Business School, and the University of Connecticut), his teaching interests span finance, risk management, and innovation. He has guided over 75 graduate theses and postdoctoral researchers and mentored more than 100 startups.

He has delivered more than 150 invited talks globally, and his excellence in teaching has been recognized with over 15 Senate commendations. His research and policy contributions span finance, ICT-driven innovation, entrepreneurship ecosystems, and startup policy. He remains deeply engaged with industry, government, and academia in institution building and innovation leadership.

Arun is currently a Professor of Finance & Accounting at the Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. Arun holds a Ph.D from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. His research interests are in the domain on “Corporate Governance, Start-up Valuation, and Development Finance.” He has co-authored a few books viz. “Management Accounting” “Public perception of security” which encompasses food and health security and on social issues “Muscle to the Mind” and another in vernacular titled “In search of the Horizon”. He has undertaken a host of consulting and training assignments ranging from Corporate Re structuring to Economic analysis of infrastructure projects. His current focus is on ‘Evidence Based Impact Assessment’ for various development agencies across the world including Department of International Development (DFID), Government of UK. His works extend to assessment of field level interventions on developmental issues. He is a certified social impact assessment practitioner.