HORIBA India Concludes First Edition of Innovation Connect 2026, Showcasing Emerging Technologies from Across India
HORIBA India successfully concluded the first edition of HORIBA Innovation Connect 2026 on 7 September 2026 at Holiday Inn, Aerocity, New Delhi
HORIBA India successfully concluded the first edition of HORIBA Innovation Connect 2026 on 7 September 2026 at Holiday Inn, Aerocity, New Delhi, bringing together startups, researchers, academia, industry experts and technology leaders on a common platform dedicated to advancing science, technology and innovation.
Conceived as a platform to discover breakthrough technologies, strengthen industry–academia collaboration and create pathways for emerging innovations, HORIBA Innovation Connect 2026 received close to 100 registrations from across India. Following an evaluation and screening process, 15 promising startups were selected to present their technologies and solutions before HORIBA leadership and an expert jury.
Under the theme “Discover new technologies. Measure their potential. Innovate for the future,” the inaugural edition reflected HORIBA’s commitment to connecting its expertise in measurement and analysis with India’s growing innovation ecosystem.
Bringing Emerging Technologies to the Forefront
The participating startups represented a diverse range of emerging and deep-technology domains aligned with HORIBA’s areas of expertise and future technology interests, including:
- Sensors
- Flow Control Technology
- Spectroscopy
- Optics & Photonics
- Lab-Grown Diamonds for Semiconductor Applications
- Automation
- Deposition Technology
- Quantum Technology
The event also brought forward innovations spanning areas such as clean technology, biomedical sciences, semiconductors, photonics, robotics and advanced industrial technologies.
Each participating startup had the opportunity to present its innovation, explain its technology and potential applications, and interact directly with experts from industry and academia.
Expert Evaluation and Knowledge Exchange
The startup presentations were evaluated on parameters including technical readiness, novelty and differentiation, quality of presentation, commercialisation potential and strategic alignment with HORIBA’s technology domains.
The distinguished jury brought together expertise from industry, academia, healthcare and technology and included:
Dr. Sandeep Singh, Professor, IIT Roorkee; Dr. Anil Handoo, Senior Director & Head, Laboratory Services, Max Healthcare; Dr. R. K. Malhotra, President, HORIBA, Ltd.; Dr. Ashwini Aggarwal, President, Hydrogen Association of India; and Dr. Masayuki Adachi, Board Member and President, HORIBA, Ltd., Japan.
Beyond evaluation, the interactions enabled participating innovators to receive constructive perspectives from experts while exploring how their technologies could progress toward practical industrial and commercial applications.
The presence of researchers and academic representatives further reinforced the event’s objective of bringing industry, research and entrepreneurship together on one platform.
Recognising Outstanding Innovation
Following the jury evaluation, three startups were recognised for the strength, relevance and potential of their technologies.
PLATINUM PRIZE – INR 2 Lakh
CLUIX Private Limited 
GOLD PRIZE – INR 1 Lakh Each NeosLab
Matterwave Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
The awards recognised not only technological innovation, but also the potential of emerging solutions to address real-world requirements and create opportunities for future development.
More Than a Startup Competition
HORIBA Innovation Connect 2026 was designed to go beyond a conventional startup competition.
The initiative created an environment where innovators could engage directly with HORIBA’s technical and business leadership, discuss technology validation and commercialisation possibilities, and identify potential areas for future collaboration.
For selected innovations, the engagement can extend beyond the event through opportunities for technical guidance, R&D interaction and potential co-development initiatives, subject to technology relevance and strategic alignment.
This approach reflects HORIBA’s belief that meaningful innovation is accelerated when emerging ideas are connected with scientific expertise, measurement technologies and real-world industry requirements.
Building Stronger Connections with India’s Innovation Ecosystem
The response to the first edition demonstrated the breadth of technology development taking place across India’s startup and research ecosystem.
The 15 participating startups, selected from close to 100 registrations, brought forward technologies at different stages of development while sharing a common ambition: transforming scientific and technological ideas into solutions capable of creating real-world impact.
Engaging presentations, constructive jury interactions, strong participation from academia and industry, and media coverage around the initiative helped extend the visibility of the technologies and innovators represented at the event.
For HORIBA India, Innovation Connect also represents another step toward strengthening connections with startups, researchers, academic institutions and technology entrepreneurs working in areas relevant to the future of measurement, analysis and advanced industry.
Discover. Measure. Innovate.
With the conclusion of its inaugural edition, HORIBA Innovation Connect 2026 has established a foundation for continued engagement between HORIBA and India’s emerging technology community.
HORIBA India congratulates CLUIX Private Limited, NeosLab and Matterwave Technologies Pvt. Ltd. on their recognition and extends its appreciation to all participating and registered startups, jury members, researchers, academic institutions, industry experts and partners who contributed to the first edition of the initiative.
The event may have concluded, but the conversations, connections and possibilities created through Innovation Connect continue.
Together, we Discover. Measure. Innovate.
