Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) participated in “Bharat Innovates 2026,” marking the first time India has staged its flagship deep-tech showcase outside the country. The event took place from June 14 to 16 at the Palais des Expositions in Nice, France, and was jointly inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. Carsten Coesfeld, CEO of Bertelsmann Investments, and Pankaj Makkar, Managing Director of Bertelsmann India Investments, also attended. The showcase served as the centerpiece of the India–France Year of Innovation, launched by the two leaders in Mumbai in February 2026.
Helping great technologies reach the world
Organized by India’s Ministry of Education, the event brought together more than 120 research-led startups and leading innovators from India. Selected from more than 1,200 applicants, the participants included ventures emerging from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) – among India's leading science and engineering institutions – and other centers of excellence. They presented their work to an audience of global investors, corporations, policymakers, and research partners. Carsten Coesfeld took part in the high-profile investor session “Global DeepTech Capital Corridors” alongside representatives from Prosus, Sony Ventures, Blume Ventures, and IIT Kanpur.
“Some of the most important innovation partnerships begin with dialogue,” said Carsten Coesfeld. “By bringing together founders, investors, researchers, and policymakers, we hope to create connections that help great technologies travel further and create impact at a global scale.”
Drawing on Bertelsmann Investments’ experience
Over the past year, Pankaj Makkar chaired the Government of India’s core advisory committee for the event, helping identify and select the country’s most promising startups and supporting the government in organizing the showcase. He also spoke on the panel “Unlocking DeepTech Investment with Global Investors” alongside representatives from Avendus Capital, Sony Innovation Fund, Mizuho Financial Group, and Link Innovations. “India’s deep-tech ecosystem has reached an inflection point,” said Makkar. “The conversation is no longer about whether world-class innovation can emerge from India. The opportunity now is to connect that innovation with global capital, industry partnerships, and international markets.”
According to Bertelsmann India Investments, the presence of both Coesfeld and Makkar underscored Bertelsmann’s strategic conviction in India’s deep-tech sector and its willingness to engage with broader questions about how capital, innovation ecosystems, and frontier technologies move across borders – not just how individual transactions are completed.
That conviction is rooted in experience. Bertelsmann Investments has invested in leading European and French AI companies, including Mistral AI. Bertelsmann India Investments has backed Indian deep-tech and AI-focused startups such as Scimplify, Inito, and SquadStack AI.
Bertelsmann as a catalyst
India’s first startup wave demonstrated the country’s ability to build world-class digital businesses. According to industry experts, the next chapter will be driven by deep technologies emerging from laboratories and research institutions, including semiconductors, space and defense technology, next-generation communications, advanced materials, and biotechnology. “Bharat Innovates” covered 13 frontier-technology sectors and was designed to help move innovations from the laboratory into pilot projects, co-development opportunities, investment, and access to international markets.
The broader economic backdrop reinforces this trend. India’s relationship with Europe is evolving from broad diplomatic engagement toward structured market access, investment, and innovation-driven collaboration. Examples include the conclusion of the India–EU free trade agreement, the implementation of the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), and the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Against this backdrop, “Bharat Innovates” was more than a showcase. The event highlighted how India and Europe are increasingly coming together as hubs of shared innovation rather than simply serving as markets for one another. Bertelsmann Investments believes Bertelsmann is well positioned to act as a catalyst in that process.
Continuing to bring deep-tech innovation to the global stage
For Bertelsmann, the significance of this exchange extends beyond a single market. The forum sits at the intersection of India’s deep-tech ambitions, India–France innovation diplomacy, and deepening economic ties between India and Europe – all areas that are relevant to Bertelsmann’s operations and investments. Through its investments, ecosystem partnerships, and participation in initiatives such as “Bharat Innovates,” Bertelsmann India Investments aims to continue bringing deep-tech innovation to the global stage. The company says it will do so by supporting the founders and institutions shaping the future and helping position India as an increasingly important contributor to the global innovation economy.
