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The two-day convention will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and startup founders across sectors including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, defence and space technology, fintech, healthcare technology, and water management. Maharashtra is the Lead Partner State, while IIT Bombay joins as the Knowledge Partner. Enterprise Greece is participating as Platinum Partner, reflecting international engagement at the event.

Mr. Brij Bhushan Agarwal, President, ICC & Chairman and MD, Shyam Metalics & Energy Limited, said, “I have watched Indian industry work around technology for twenty years rather than through it. That is changing fast, but the honest truth is we are still not moving at the speed the opportunity demands. Every sector we are serious about—metals, defence, logistics, agriculture, healthcare—is going to be decided by who gets the technology right and who gets it right first. WTC 2026 is ICC’s answer to that urgency.”

Dr. P Anbalgan, Principal Secretary Industry, Govt. of Maharashtra and several other Officials from State Govt. of Odisha, Rajasthan, Tripura will address the convention. Senior Industry leaders from Companies like IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, TCS, JSW Steel, GRSE, Ion Exchange, Dempo Group, Mahindra, PwC, Kirloskar, Premier Irrigation, GMDC, RS Software, along with participation from India’s startup and deep-tech ecosystem. WTC is supported by Union Ministry of Railways, Food Processing, Coal, Industry, Water, Pharma, Power etc. Details available at www.icc-wtc.com

Dr. Rajeev Singh, Director General, Indian Chamber of Commerce, shared, “India has made significant progress in building digital public infrastructure and strengthening manufacturing capabilities. The next phase will depend on how effectively these are translated into scalable solutions and global partnerships.”

Registrations for WTC 2026 are open. Details on participation, partnership, and delegate registration are available at www.icc-wtc.com.

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The Economic Survey highlighted the key role of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme in strengthening domestic manufacturing, especially in mobile phone production. Many global companies now manufacture in India, making it a major production hub. By September 2025, investments under the PLI scheme crossed ₹2 lakh crore, resulting in production and sales worth over ₹18.70 lakh crore and creating jobs for more than 12.60 lakh people. India has also grown as a global leader in intellectual property, ranking high in patent, trademark and design filings, while making steady progress in the semiconductor sector with multiple projects approved across several states.

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Madhya Pradesh participated as a State Partner showcasing a curated startup delegation, engaged in B2B and B2G interactions, and contributed to knowledge-driven sessions aimed at accelerating technology-led and inclusive growth. 

Shri Mohan Yadav, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said “Healthy competition between states must go hand in hand with cooperation and harmony. Trade and business flourish best when states work together, not in isolation. Under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, India today offers an equal platform for all states to grow. In just the last decade, we are moving steadily towards becoming the world’s third largest economy from fourth.”  हमारे राज्यों के बीच स्वस्थ प्रतिस्पर्धा भी होनी चाहिए, लेकिन उसके साथ-साथ आपसी सामंजस्य, सौहार्द और सहयोग भी आवश्यक है। व्यापार और व्यवसाय तभी सबसे अच्छा फलते-फूलते हैं जब राज्य मिलकर काम करते हैं, न कि अलग-थलग रहकर। माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी के नेतृत्व में आज देश के सभी राज्यों को समान रूप से आगे बढ़ने का मंच मिला है। पिछले दस–ग्यारह वर्षों में देश चौथे स्थान से तीसरी सबसे बड़ी अर्थव्यवस्था की ओर बढ़ रहा है।

Talking about Rajasthan’s vision Shri Prem Chand Bairwa, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Government of Rajasthan said “Our goal is to ensure that Rajasthan does not remain a state that looks for jobs, but becomes a state that creates employment. Through digital technologies, we are building a self-reliant, capable, and empowered Rajasthan” 

हमारा लक्ष्य है कि राजस्थान नौकरी ढूँढने वाला नहीं, बल्कि रोज़गार सृजन करने वाला राज्य बने। डिजिटल तकनीक के माध्यम से हम एक आत्मनिर्भर, सक्षम और सशक्त राजस्थान का निर्माण कर रहे हैं।

Talking about Madhya Pradesh and its policy ecosystem, Shri Sanjay Dubey, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Madhya Pradesh said, “Madhya Pradesh’s policy framework is predictable, proactive and performance-driven. If you shake hands today, you can be up and running within three months that is the level of confidence and speed we have built into the system.”

The discussion also featured companies and start ups whose representatives spoke about the Ease of Doing Business in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

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Mr. Vijay Talreja, Director – HABIT Foundation and Trustee, VES, welcomed the audience and stated that HABITia represents the core spirit and vision of the foundation. He highlighted HABITia as a dynamic platform where young minds, budding entrepreneurs, and early-stage founders come together to present their ideas, refine them through mentorship, and gain experiential learning that prepares them for real-world entrepreneurial journeys. The Chief Guest, Mr. R. Ramanan, Chair of the National Expert Advisory Council, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and former Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission and Additional Secretary at NITI Aayog, delivered a highly insightful keynote emphasizing the importance of platforms like the HABIT Foundation and its incubator in transforming curiosity into ideas, ideas into prototypes, and prototypes into scalable and impactful solutions. The Guest of Honour, Dr. Ramjee Pallela, Senior Consultant at ISBA and former Chief Operating Officer of AIC-CCMB, underscored the importance of research-backed entrepreneurship, strong mentorship, and ecosystem support in building scalable startups.

The inaugural session concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Jyoti Chandwani, Nodal Officer, HABIT Foundation and Professor, VESIM who reaffirmed the foundation’s long-term commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets and providing sustained incubation support to promising student-led startups.

A key highlight of HABITia’ 25 was the panel discussion titled “BTS – Behind the Startup”, which focused on real-world startup challenges, founder mindset, scalability, technology-led growth, and the evolving role of venture capital in early-stage ventures. The panel featured Mr. Shantiprakash (SP) Motwani, former Managing Director, Accenture Technology, who highlighted that while technology has seen multiple waves, the current era is unprecedented due to the convergence of transformative technologies, data, exponential computing power, and innovative systems. Mr. Ranjeet Shetye, Venture Partner, YourNest Venture Capital, emphasized that curiosity, continuous learning, and the courage to challenge the status quo are essential leadership qualities for entrepreneurs. Mr. Zubin Kika, Executive Vice President – Technology and Digital, HDFC Bank, stated that while Generative AI and agentic AI are powerful tools for rapid prototyping and innovation, strong core concepts and engineering fundamentals remain critical for building scalable and sustainable businesses. Mr. Deepak Nihalani, Co-Founder at Snapwork Technologies and Epoch Technologies, shared insights on building technology-driven enterprises with a strong customer-first approach, emphasizing execution excellence, adaptability, and the importance of solving real business problems through scalable digital solutions. The session was moderated by Mr. Amit Rambhia, Managing Director, Panache DigiLife Ltd.

Following with the competition, Innovate to Incubate – The Startup Challenge, The judging panel comprised seasoned investors, incubator heads, and industry leaders, including Mr. Bhavesh Kothari- Chief Executive Officer, MSSU I-SPARK Foundation, Mr. Nikhil Gupta- Investor, Startup Accelerator & AIF Manager, Dr. Vijay Bijlani- Founder Director, SAO Foods, Mr. Jaideep Pawar- Founder Director & CEO, GRAMePAY, Mr. Alok Ranjan- CEO and Co-founder Tauran Advisors, Mr. Chintan Oza- Founder and Managing Partner, Anantam Ecosystems, and Mr. Abhimanyu Anil Londhe- Co–Founder, Abhi Incubation Fund. Out of 156 teams that applied, 64 advanced to the second round after initial screening. Following detailed pitch presentations in both online and offline formats, nine teams qualified for the final round, where seven teams pitched offline and two online.

The winners of the challenge were rewarded with attractive cash prizes along with exclusive incubation opportunities at the HABIT Foundation, complemented by certificates of achievement. Melacure Pvt. Ltd., a skincare innovation brand from Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Pharmacy, Mumbai, emerged as the winner. The first runner-up was Indiejeanous, a Mumbai-based sustainable upcycled denim brand, while the second runner-up position was secured by Maceazy – E-Kaathi, a solution empowering visually impaired individuals with confident mobility, developed by students from Chetana Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai.

HABITia’ 25 concluded on a high note, reinforcing Vivekanand Education Society’s commitment to nurturing student entrepreneurship and innovation. The conclave successfully created a vibrant ecosystem where ideas met mentorship, innovation met opportunity, and aspiring entrepreneurs took confident steps toward building impactful, future-ready startups.

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Bengaluru, 15^th December 2025: Primus Partners unveiled its latest report, Empowering Small Businesses through Digital Advertising, a comprehensive study based on a survey of over 1,000 MSMEs and startups across India. The report underscores that digital advertising has become one of the most potent accelerators of small business growth, driving visibility, efficiency, and measurable returns at a scale previously inaccessible to smaller enterprises. The study shows that India’s SMB sector is undergoing a decisive shift embracing data-driven marketing, diversifying across platforms and formats, and increasingly adopting AI to optimise campaigns and reduce inefficiencies. Yet, even with this momentum, many small businesses continue to struggle with cost pressures, skill gaps, and the challenge of navigating an increasingly complex advertising ecosystem.

The findings reveal that SMBs are not only advertising more, they are advertising smarter. A majority use three to four platforms simultaneously, over 65% deploy multiple formats, and more than 90% actively monitor campaign performance using digital tools. As the digital marketplace grows more competitive, AI adoption has become nearly universal, with SMBs using intelligent tools for targeting, fraud detection, automation, and creative optimisation.

The study also highlights structural challenges that continue to restrain the full potential of SMBs. Limited budgets, absence of specialised talent, lack of IT infrastructure, and difficulty choosing the right mix of platforms and formats were cited as primary barriers. Over 70% of SMBs also expressed that the sheer variety of advertising options can be overwhelming, underscoring the need for simplified guidance and ecosystem support.

Commenting on the policy significance of the findings, Sunita Mohanty, Managing Director, Primus Partners, said, “India’s economy depends deeply on the vitality of its small businesses, and this report shows how digital advertising is becoming a key equaliser allowing them to compete with larger players and participate more meaningfully in national and global markets. What is remarkable is not just the high adoption rate, but the tangible impact: from doubling revenues to expanding across India and even reaching export markets. At the same time, small businesses are telling us clearly that they need simpler, more affordable, and more trustworthy digital pathways. This report is our effort to ensure their voices shape the next phase of India’s digital economy.”

The report concludes that India’s SMBs are transitioning from digital adopters to digital leaders, but need a more supportive ecosystem to unlock their full potential. It calls for strengthened public–private collaboration, targeted digital skilling initiatives, responsible AI frameworks, and broader access to affordable tools that can help small businesses grow with confidence, resilience, and transparency.

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