Industrialists push for academia–industry integrators at Deep Tech summit

At The Hindu Deep Tech Summit 2026, a candid conversation unfolded around a familiar yet unresolved question: why does the gap between academia and industry persist?

Organised in collaboration with SRM Institute of Science and Technology, the panel titled “The Symbiotic Lab: Re-engineering Academic Research for Industrial Agility” was held on Monday. The session brought together both legacy industry and startups — Gowri Kailasam, Prasad Maganti, T. R. Parasuraman and Dinesh Arjun — for an insightful discussion moderated by John Xavier, tech editor at The Hindu.

For T. R. Parasuraman, GD Naidu Chair Professor at SRMIST and former president and whole-time director of Toyota Industries Engines India Pvt.Ltd, the contradiction is structural. “Industry looks at the short term, academia at the long term,” he said, pointing to a mismatch that often leaves ideas stranded at the proof-of-concept stage. In a country powered by nearly 6.8 crore MSMEs, this disconnect is not just academic; it directly shapes India’s manufacturing ambitions.

Yet, the tone was not pessimistic. Panellists agreed that the past decade has seen a quiet but important shift. Mr. Arjun, CEO of EV motorcycle startup Raptee, talked about how entrepreneurship itself has evolved over the past decade. “Commercialisation was not even part of student thinking earlier,” he noted, adding that students today are building products that have the potential to enter real markets.

Still, friction remains. Ms. Kailasam, CEO of Rane Madras Limited- SLD & LMCD, offered a candid industry view: companies are often racing to solve immediate problems but fail to define them clearly. “We don’t take the time to articulate today’s problems, yet expect answers from academia,” she said. Universities, in contrast, tend to focus on futuristic research that may not translate into immediate applications.

What is needed, several panellists suggested, is a middle ground—one built on co-creation rather than transaction. Mr. Maganti, CEO at Titan, emphasised that research and development can no longer be optional and that industries must actively identify problems across their operations and work with academia to solve them.

Structural solutions were also on the table. Mr. Parasuraman proposed a hub-and-spoke model—clusters of centres of excellence that MSMEs can access for testing and innovation, supported by larger firms and the government. Others pointed to simpler fixes: informal collaborations, shared facilities and stronger exchange programmes.

Speed, however, emerged as a recurring concern. While academia offers depth, industry runs on urgency. “If we wait two months for a solution, it’s already too late,” Ms. Kailasam said.

By the end of the session, one idea stood out: the gap is not due to lack of intent, but lack of integration—an ecosystem still learning to work together.