Nvidia deepens India footprint with $2 billion deep tech alliance to mentor AI startups

Nvidia is making significant strides in India by becoming a founding member of the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA), a collaborative effort aimed at fostering the growth of deep tech startups in the country. This initiative is backed by an impressive $2 billion investment commitment from various private equity and venture capital investors, marking a substantial step for Nvidia in the rapidly evolving Indian startup landscape. As part of this alliance, Nvidia will leverage its expertise to provide training and mentorship to emerging deep tech companies, which encompass sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, and energy. The Nvidia Deep Learning Institute will be instrumental in offering technical workshops and guidance, focusing on responsible AI deployment and developer support. Vishal Dhupar, Nvidia's managing director for South Asia, expressed the company's intent to collaborate closely with policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs to enhance the AI ecosystem in India. Although Nvidia has not disclosed specific financial contributions, timelines, or training objectives, the potential impact of its involvement is already being recognized. Sriram Viswanathan, a founding member of the IDTA, highlighted the accelerating pace of innovation in India, suggesting that the next five years could witness the emergence of numerous globally reputable deep tech companies. The Indian government is also playing a crucial role in this sector by launching initiatives that include an allocation of over 100 billion rupees (approximately $1.1 billion) under its AI Mission, along with a separate 1 trillion rupees (around $11.2 billion) fund dedicated to research, development, and innovation for deep tech enterprises. In a related development, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced that the country will host the AI Impact Summit in February next year, an event expected to attract heads of state, policymakers, and industry leaders, including Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, and Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind. Nvidia’s increased involvement in India aligns with the growing global interest in the Indian AI market, which is now recognized as OpenAI's second-largest user base. Moreover, competitors like Google are also strengthening their foothold, having committed $15 billion to establish an AI hub in Visakhapatnam.