New Delhi: At the IVCA GreenReturns Summit 2025, Shri Manoj Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director of SIDBI, spoke about the importance of innovation, deeptech startups, ESG-focused businesses, and early-stage investing for India’s economic future. He explained how India can build a strong innovation economy by supporting startups working on climate, sustainability, and advanced science technologies.

Shri Mittal said that India is entering a new phase of industrial transformation, where deeptech, climate-tech and ESG-aligned companies will play a major role. To help these innovation-driven startups grow, India needs long-term capital, strong collaboration between industry and investors, and solid institutional support.

He emphasised the need to close the credit gap for young startups, especially those working on technology, research, hardware manufacturing, and climate-based solutions.
“Building a competitive innovation economy will require differentiated and patient capital. We must ensure long-term financing support for early-stage entrepreneurship, especially in climate and science-based sectors,” he said. He added that the government is already strengthening the platform for climate finance and providing support to deeptech and sustainable businesses.

The session also discussed blended finance models, ESG-linked investment frameworks, capital needs for hardware innovation, and easier regulatory pathways for deeptech companies. Speakers highlighted growing alignment between India’s sustainability goals, industrial needs, and investor interest.

The discussion was one of the key highlights of the Summit, which brought together policymakers, global institutions, investors, and startup founders to explore India’s $10 trillion climate investment opportunity and future roadmap for sustainable, innovation-driven growth.