ISBACON 2025: Incubating Innovation for a 'Viksit Bharat'

The Indian STEPs & Business Incubators Association (ISBA), India’s foremost and most enduring network dedicated to fostering Starup Ecosystem, is poised to host its seventeenth annual flagship conference, ISBACON 2025, at the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati from December 10th to 12th, 2025.

This year’s event carries profound significance as it marks the inaugural time ISBA brings its national gathering to the North-East region, strategically aligning regional aspirations with the national startup movement. Operating under the theme, “Enabling the Enablers for a Viksit Bharat,” the conference directly addresses the critical role of incubation centers in anchoring and accelerating India's innovation-led growth trajectory.

A Convergence of National Thought Leadership

ISBACON 2025 is anticipated to convene over 300 key delegates, establishing it as the largest annual assembly of the startup incubation ecosystem. The diverse participant roster includes leaders of prominent incubation centers, institutional investors, apex government officials, policymakers, and industry veterans.

The three-day schedule is meticulously structured, encompassing 20 sessions designed for high-level intellectual exchange. Highlights include:

Five definitive Panel Discussions

Three intensive Masterclasses

A dedicated Keynote Address and Inaugural/Valedictory Ceremonies

Featuring a roster of 37 distinguished speakers, including members of the ISBA Advisory Board, the discussions will focus on actionable strategies across critical domains: incubation excellence, emerging technologies, sophisticated funding mechanisms, social impact, and the blueprint for building resilient, future-ready institutions.

Strategic Institutional Backing

The conference's strategic importance is underlined by the substantial backing from national organizations central to India’s research and entrepreneurial landscape. The event is significantly powered by leading financial institutions, including IDFC First Bank and HDFC Parivarthan (HDFC Bank's CSR initiative), alongside key government supporters such as the Department of Science & Technology (DST), the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) via the MeitY Startup Hub, and BIRAC.

By facilitating this vital exchange in Assam, ISBACON 2025 is expected to catalyze new avenues for capacity building, policy integration, and cross-regional collaboration, thereby strengthening the national foundation required for India to ascend as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.

About ISBA

Established over 21 years ago, ISBA has emerged as India’s largest and most influential platform connecting incubators, accelerators, policymakers, investors, and industry. With members spread across the nation, ISBA has played a pivotal role in establishing incubation as a structured, high-impact support mechanism for startups and technology-led ventures.

For more details visit www.isba.in