Dhanbad, April 7 TEXMiN IIT (ISM) Dhanbad has announced a series of strategic industry collaborations and startup incubation funding during the two-day R&D fair ‘IInvenTiv 2026’, an official said on Tuesday.
The Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation (TEXMiN) is a Technology Translation Research Park (TTRP) established by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.
IIT (ISM) director and chairman of TEXMiN’s governing board, Prof Sukumar Mishra, said, "TEXMiN is building a strong innovation and startup ecosystem in the mining and critical minerals sector. The MoUs and startup funding announced during IInvenTiv 2026 reflect the growing industry confidence in academic research and deep-tech startups."
"These collaborations and incubation initiatives will play an important role in developing indigenous technologies, supporting startups, and strengthening India’s capabilities in strategic sectors," he said.
Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar inaugurated the event on Monday in the presence of prominent dignitaries and industry leaders, including Athar Shahab, managing director of Zuari Industries, Vaishali Nigam Sinha, co-founder of ReNew, and Sandeep Kumar of Tata Steel.
As part of the TEXMiN initiative, multiple MoUs were signed with industry partners, including NTPC Mining Limited, Agilent Technologies India Pvt Ltd, Anton Paar India Pvt Ltd and Tecknotrove System India Pvt Ltd, to establish advanced research labs, centres of excellence and technology development facilities in mining, minerals and advanced instrumentation, according to a press statement issued by the institute.
IIT (ISM) deputy director and project director of TEXMiN, Prof Dheeraj Kumar, said, "The partnerships and startup incubation initiatives under TEXMiN will not only support startups but also contribute to building a strong ecosystem for mining technology, critical minerals, and sustainable resource development in the country."