CIIC’s 5th Mega Demo Day Brings 150+ Startups Together in Chennai
Chennai: Chennai witnessed one of the city’s major startup gatherings as the Crescent Innovation & Incubation Council (CIIC) hosted its 5th Mega Demo Day and Startup Showcase 2026 at its Vandalur campus on Wednesday.
The event brought together more than 150 startups, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, industry experts, and members of the startup ecosystem from across the country.
More than 200 exhibition stalls showcased innovations across sectors including Life Sciences, Industry 5.0, Smart & Clean Mobility, Agribusiness, Nutraceuticals, and MSMEs, providing startups with an opportunity to connect with investors and industry stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Abdul Qadir, Founding Chairman of CIIC & AIC-CIIC, highlighted the organisation’s progress over the last seven years. According to CIIC, the incubation council currently supports over 157 startups, has graduated 80 ventures, facilitated more than ₹520 crore in funding, created over 2,107 jobs, and developed over 100,000 square feet of incubation infrastructure.
The organisation also stated that it has received support from eight Union Ministries and two State Ministries, while helping facilitate 200 patents.
The inaugural session was attended by Dr. Veerappan IAS, District Collector of Chengalpattu, along with several government officials, investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. Among the prominent attendees were Padma Shri Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, Kumar Vembu, Dr. Jinnah Rafiq Ahmed, Dr. Panneerselvam, Mahalingam Krishnamurthy, and Shri K. Dhayalan, IEDS.
The programme featured panel discussions on technology, innovation, sovereign technology, and future mobility. A fireside chat titled “Disruption by Design” featured CK Kumaravel, Co-founder and CMD of Naturals Salon, and Srinath Ravichandran, Co-founder and CEO of Agnikul.
A key attraction of the event was Fundora 2.0, where selected startups pitched their business ideas to venture capital firms and angel investors during closed-door investment sessions.
The event concluded with networking sessions, startup exhibitions, and investor interactions aimed at strengthening Chennai’s growing innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.