TDK Ventures launches its first Innovation Hub in India to support global scaleup of technology innovations

India's startup ecosystem has grown exponentially in the past decade, fuelled by a thriving entrepreneurial culture, a large pool of skilled talent, and multiple government initiatives.

The innovation ecosystem in India consists of some of the best and brightest entrepreneurs in the world tackling some of humanity’s most important challenges in fundamental material science, energy and power, climate tech, and more.

To further accelerate the growth of this ecosystem and support entrepreneurs - the ultimate ‘Impact Scalers’- TDK Ventures is all set to enter the Indian market with the launch of the TDK Innovation Hub.

TDK Ventures is a Corporate VC firm that invests globally in startups to bolster innovation in materials science, energy/power, and related areas typically underrepresented in venture capital portfolios. Established in 2019 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TDK Corporation, the corporate venture company's vision is to propel the digital and energy transformations of segments such as health and wellness, next-generation transportation, robotics and industrial, mixed reality, and the broader IoT/IIoT markets.

As a strategic investor, TDK Ventures provides not only capital but also access to TDK's technology, expertise, and global network to its portfolio companies. It believes in impact-scaling entrepreneurs, who are creating a new era of sustainability and social value. The company’s investments are towards strengthening innovation within decarbonisation, clean energy, energy storage, industry 5.0, and related areas.

Entry into the Indian market

With its entry into the Indian market, TDK Ventures aims to leverage India's growing startup ecosystem and its expertise in emerging technologies to identify promising startups and support their growth. Its mission is to accelerate learning, bring meaningful contributions to society, and invest in startups with similar ideals.

“At TDK Ventures, we put entrepreneurs first,” states Nicolas Sauvage, President, TDK Ventures. “In that spirit, in addition to bringing entrepreneurs to the investors, we want to bring together like-minded investors to support these amazing entrepreneurs. By physically being near such incredible startups and visionary innovators, we aim to offer our ‘TDK Goodness’ to the greatest minds in India and help accelerate the development of their projects and technologies for use by the greater global ecosystem,” he adds.

The firm’s entry into India is expected to provide a significant boost to the Indian startup ecosystem, especially in emerging technologies. Its strategic investments will provide early-stage startups with access to capital and global expertise, which will help them accelerate their growth and scale.

TDK Ventures' focus on robotics, autonomous vehicles, energy and power, and IoT is in line with India's expertise in these emerging technologies, which makes it a perfect fit for the Indian startup ecosystem.

The TDK Innovation Hub

To mark its entry into the Indian market, TDK Ventures has opened its first TDK Ventures Innovation Hub in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The hub will bring together venture capitalists (VCs) and corporate venture capitalists (CVCs) in an atmosphere of collaboration and purposeful exchange. It will co-create an ecosystem ideally suited for maximising engagement with entrepreneurs and their many innovative technologies within decarbonisation, clean energy, energy storage, etc.

With leading global VCs and CVCs under one roof, efficient engagements can happen where new ideas and investment theses are brainstormed, leading to better investments. Strategically located in the vicinity of the technology startup ecosystem, the hub promises to create high-quality engagements with startups.

The hub’s key features include modern interiors and breakout spaces that provide an enriching environment to work, meeting rooms and telephone booths for confidential discussions, a well-designed reception to give visitors a good experience, and a lot more.

TDK India Launch Event

In celebration of the launch of its technology innovation hub, TDK Ventures is hosting a launch event on March 1, 2023, in Bengaluru.

Members of the TDK Ventures team will detail their plan for investing in India and how they envision bringing the ‘TDK Goodness’ to Indian entrepreneurs.

The event will feature keynote speaker Mohandas Pai, chairman of 3one4 Capital, co-founder and chairman of Aarin Capital, and chairman of Manipal Global Education. It will also feature speakers Shailesh Lakhani, managing director of Sequoia India; Rema Subramanian, co-founder and managing partner of Ankur Capital; and Padmaja Ruparel, co-founder of Indian Angel Network. Attendees will be able to network with industry professionals and ramp up enthusiasm within the startup sphere for their respective projects.

Thus, the launch of TDK Ventures' first innovation hub in India marks an exciting new chapter in the country's rapidly expanding startup ecosystem. With a focus on emerging technologies and a commitment to sustainability and social value, TDK Ventures is well-positioned to help accelerate the growth of India's startup ecosystem and bring new ideas and solutions to the global stage.