Avnish Sabharwal,
Managing Director,
Accenture,
Avnish Sabharwal wears many hats—deep tech evangelist, corporate innovation catalyst, startup mentor, and sustainability advocate. He holds three decades of global experience across markets and technologies and has played a noteworthy role in shaping how enterprises approach rising technologies.
As Managing Director at Accenture, he leads the charge in bridging corporate ambition with startup agility.
In this candid exchange with Swati Gupta, Avnish unpacks the dynamic relationship between enterprises and deep tech startups, the role of GCCs in India, and what it will take to create inclusive, sustainable innovation at scale
How do you see collaboration between established enterprises and deep tech startups evolving in the coming years?
Collaboration between enterprises and deep tech startups has evolved significantly over time. We’ve seen waves—from the early rise of crowdsourcing and open-source communities to the growth of corporate incubators and accelerators. Today, the collaboration is set to transform again.
Moving forward, we’ll see deeper alignment of innovation strategies with broader ecosystems that include not only startups and corporations but also governments, academia, investors, and industry bodies. This shift will pave the way for Open Innovation 2.0.
We can also expect the rise of new startup ecosystems and cross-ecosystem hubs that span cities, geographies, and stakeholders. AI and generative AI will reshape open innovation, allowing companies to spot trends, anticipate demand, and unlock new value with precision.
When enterprises adopt startup-like mindsets, the cultural gap will shrink. We’ll see more cross-pollination of talent, shared metrics, and co-owned R&D. Startups will become true extensions of the enterprises they work with.
What role does deep tech play in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges?
Deep tech is instrumental. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotech, or robotics—these technologies are built to tackle complex, foundational problems.
Talking about climate and sustainability, from green cloud computing and carbon tracking to circular supply chain platforms and carbon capture systems — deep tech is pushing businesses to move beyond compliance into true environmental resilience.
In healthcare, AI diagnostics, advanced imaging, and quantum drug discovery are changing the norms. We’re detecting diseases like cancer earlier, accelerating drug development, and expanding care through wearables and telehealth—especially in underserved regions.
Coming to inequality – deep tech’s been a powerful equalizer. Blockchain and AI are expanding access to digital banking. VR classrooms and AI-powered learning platforms are opening up education across social boundaries. And AI-led upskilling is helping workers adapt to the future of work.
How can deep tech startups prioritize social impact while building sustainable business models?
Purpose can’t be an afterthought—it must be at the core of the business model. Startups tackling challenges like climate change or healthcare access naturally build solutions that have real market demand.
Strategic partnerships—with governments, nonprofits, and enterprises—can amplify both impact and revenue. But it’s also about setting up the right metrics. Alongside business KPIs, we need clear social impact benchmarks, sustainable practices, and feedback loops.
Transparent reporting builds trust and attracts long-term investors focused on real value creation. It’s all about balancing innovation with responsibility—driven by sound revenue models and aligned partnerships.
Which industries are seeing the most disruption from deep tech, and what’s fueling this momentum?
Fintech and BFSI lead with $97 billion in investments —fueled by AI fraud detection, biometric authentication, and quantum-secure cryptography. Industrial and manufacturing sectors follow with $68 billion, driven by IoT, digital twins, and predictive analytics. Health tech has pulled in $50 billion for AI diagnostics, telemedicine, and genomics.
India now ranks sixth globally in the number of deep tech startups. Enterprise tech, health tech, and manufacturing are thriving. But space tech, defense, climate tech, and semiconductors are emerging as strategic growth frontiers.
A strong talent pool from IITs and IISc, institutional research from places like C-CAMP, and a regulatory push through the National Deep Tech Startup Policy is fueling this growth.
Corporate–startup partnerships, like Target Accelerator and Cisco LaunchPad, and the rise of GCCs as innovation hubs, are also playing a critical role. Corporates are also increasingly investing through their CVC arms—Qualcomm Ventures being a prominent example—further accelerating deep tech innovation.
Balancing rapid innovation with ethics is tough. What strategies work?
It’s a tightrope. Startups often face pressure to scale fast and show results—sometimes at the cost of ethics. We’ve seen issues: misuse of user data, overvaluation, aggressive sales tactics. These are red flags and learning moments.
Ethics must be a built-in value, not an afterthought. Startups need open stakeholder dialogue, regular audits, clear accountability frameworks, and periodic reviews. Stakeholder feedback keeps the moral compass intact. Compliance should evolve into a culture, not a checklist.
What are the biggest roadblocks deep tech startups face in building sustainable impact?
Access to capital is the biggest. Deep tech needs high upfront investment in R&D and infrastructure. But patient capital is still scarce in India. Flexible funding structures and long-term VC thinking are essential.
Scaling from pilot to industrial-grade deployment is another hurdle—especially with weak infrastructure and unclear regulation. The upcoming National Deep Tech Startup Policy can help by offering clarity on IP, funding norms, and regulatory paths.
Which deep tech trends will drive the biggest societal shifts in the next decade?
Three trends stand out —
If you could solve one global challenge using deep tech, what would it be?
Climate change. The evidence is all around us—from melting glaciers to worsening heatwaves. In fact, India can lead here. Startups like Pixxel (where we invested) are using satellite tech to track environmental changes. But this growth brings energy demands—so we need scalable infrastructure and smarter computation.
Investments in green tech, public health systems, and climate diplomacy are the need of the hour. India must build international coalitions and channel capital into sustainable tech—doing good while doing well.
What advice would you offer deep tech founders building impactful ventures?
Focus on real-world problems—healthcare, agriculture, clean energy. Be sustainable, affordable, and scalable. Collaborate with corporations, leverage accelerators, and tap into academic and government programs.
Build teams that blend tech depth with business smarts. Stay flexible, solve locally, but always think globally.
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