New Delhi, 22 June 2026- SanchiConnect, a Noida-based deep tech ecosystem builder that connects startups, investors, industry, universities, and government to accelerate innovation from discovery to commercialization, has closed a bridge round of undisclosed size. The round was led by Auxano, with continued participation from existing investors Seafund, 8X Ventures and Arctic Invent. Joining the round as a new investor is Shashikant Chaudhary, former Managing Director of GlobalLogic India. The company has confirmed the bridge is a precursor to a larger round structure.
Founded in 2022 as a joint initiative between Baring Private Equity Partners India and Dr. Sunil Shekhawat, a former senior executive at Nasscom, SanchiConnect was designed to fill a structural gap in India’s innovation landscape: the missing layer between startups, investors, industry, and government. The company works across the full innovation lifecycle from early-stage startup discovery through investment readiness, accelerator execution, and enterprise partnerships and has mobilized over ₹400 crore in capital for portfolio companies since inception. Underpinning its operations is SanchiAPP, the company’s flagship platform that serves as the operating system for innovation ecosystems, enabling program delivery, governance, and impact measurement at scale.
The funding arrives at a moment of significant momentum for India’s deep tech sector. Startup applications in deep tech categories- spanning artificial intelligence, semiconductors, space technologies, advanced materials, and biotech have risen sharply, with policy frameworks such as iDEX, ANRF, RDI to support deep tech programmes, and the Startup India initiative driving institutional attention to the space.
Central to SanchiConnect’s physical presence is its DeepTech Hub in Noida Sector 3, which has emerged as a reference point for the private-sector-led deep tech physical ecosystem in the National Capital Region. The hub is designed specifically for founders and innovation teams operating outside the orbit of government grant dependencies- a segment the company says is growing rapidly as mature deep tech entrepreneurs seek programme support without bureaucratic overhead. SanchiConnect says the hub and the community has seen a steady increase in applications, with an overall community size reaching close to 5000 including 800+ venture funds, family offices, syndicates, industry veterans as mentors and enterprises trying to tap open innovation opportunities.
“The ecosystem enablement infrastructure market in India was, until recently, fragmented and largely unaddressed by credible product-led players. SanchiConnect has built the right platform at the right moment, one that combines programme management rigour with portfolio intelligence in a way that no competitor in this space currently matches. We led this round because we believe SanchiConnect is on track to become the default place for every deep tech operator in India in days to come.” said Brijesh Damodaran of Auxano.
In tandem with the funding announcement, SanchiConnect has disclosed two significant leadership changes. Vijay Bawra, formerly with T-Hub, one of India’s most prominent startup enablement institutions has been brought on to lead the company’s evolving business verticals. Separately, Ashutosh Srivastava, who joined SanchiConnect three years ago and has been central to its technology investment architecture, has been elevated to the first line of leadership. In his expanded role, Srivastava has started leading SanchiConnect’s strategic technology investment activity targeting Series A-stage and above deep tech companies- a move that repositions the company as an active ecosystem participant rather than purely a service and software provider.
“When Baring Private Equity India and I started SanchiConnect four years ago, the thesis was simple: India’s startup ecosystem was growing fast, but the ecosystem managing that growth the incubators, accelerators, and programme operators were running on support systems and tools built for a different era. We set out to build the operating layer, both tangible and intangible, that this ecosystem deserved. Four years on, the market has moved in our direction, and the team we are now building around this platform reflects the scale of what we intend to do
next. This round is the beginning of an aggressive next chapter,” said Dr. Sunil Shekhawat, Founder and CEO of SanchiConnect.
The company says proceeds from the bridge round will be deployed toward product evolution, geographic expansion of its platform to more innovation hubs, and preparation for the larger round. SanchiConnect declined to disclose the amount raised or a specific timeline for the next close.
The ecosystem development and management in India have attracted limited private institutional focus to date, with most work being carried out by public funded incubators and initiatives. SanchiConnect is among a small number of companies attempting to build dedicated, scalable infrastructure for this segment. The company’s blended product-and-services model, combined with its investment arm and physical hub, gives it a multi-layered presence that analysts say is difficult to replicate quickly.
