Deep-Tech and Sustainability: India’s Next Big Leap

By Navkaran Singh Bagga, CEO & Founder, AKVO

India’s technology landscape is entering a transformative phase where deep-tech meets sustainability. The coming decade demands solutions for water, energy, food, and urban infrastructure—areas where innovation can create both human impact and global competitiveness.

Real-World Challenges, Real Opportunities

Deep-tech holds the strongest potential in sectors that directly affect human existence—water security, renewable power, food sustainability, and urban infrastructure. India can leapfrog legacy systems by investing in atmospheric water technology, bio-based materials, and circular economic frameworks.

Policy as a Growth Enabler

Government initiatives like Make in India provide fertile ground for climate-tech and water-tech startups. Beyond subsidies, India needs pilot programs, fast-track approvals, and performance-linked incentives to accelerate adoption. Strong policy support will shape India into a global leader in climate-tech innovation.

Smart Sustainability with AI, IoT & Blockchain

AI enables predictive efficiency, IoT enhances monitoring and uptime, while blockchain ensures accountability in large-scale projects. Together, these technologies form “smart sustainability”—decentralized, trackable, and scalable systems. At AKVO, IoT dashboards already support our AWGs, with AI integration on the horizon.

Hardware as the Missing Link

India excels in software but lags in hardware development and supply chains. The biggest opportunity lies in uniting India’s software strength with local hardware ecosystems—from semiconductors to renewable devices—creating affordable, scalable solutions for global markets.

Advice to Young Entrepreneurs

Don’t build technology for its own sake—solve genuine problems. The next generation of unicorns will be impact unicorns, addressing water, waste, food, and energy challenges. Embed sustainability in your DNA, and scale globally from day one.

The Defining Decade

India’s tech future lies at the intersection of scale, sustainability, and global competitiveness. Scale without sustainability will collapse, and sustainability without growth will remain niche. True leadership comes from combining both.

Role of Deep-Tech Startups

Deep-tech ventures like AKVO signal India’s shift from outsourcing to innovation leadership. By blending IoT, AI, and renewable integration to extract water from air, we tackle global scarcity challenges. Startups are building the intellectual property and climate-tech hardware that will cement India’s position as a technological powerhouse.

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Scaling Sustainability: Partnerships and Policy Pathways to Make AWG Technology Accessible

By Navkaran Singh Bagga, CEO & Founder, AKVO

Water is life, yet safe drinking water remains one of the world’s greatest challenges. With urbanization, climate change, and overuse of natural resources, traditional water sources are under unprecedented stress. Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) offers a sustainable solution by harvesting clean drinking water directly from the air—but scaling it requires more than technology alone.

Why AWG Matters Now

By 2030, global freshwater demand is projected to outpace supply by 40%. AWG can provide reliable, decentralized water without straining existing ecosystems, making it vital for both urban and remote communities. But for AWG to move beyond niche adoption, it must become part of mainstream water management strategies.

Partnerships as the Pivot

No single entity can close the global water gap. Governments, businesses, non-profits, and research institutions must work together:

• Governments can integrate AWG into public water supply frameworks and disaster preparedness.

• Businesses can meet sustainability goals while strengthening community resilience.

• Non-profits can ensure last-mile delivery and community adoption.

• Academia can advance efficiency and provide data for policymaking.

Policy Pathways

Supportive policies can transform AWG from an innovation to a national water security tool. This includes:

• Subsidies and tax credits similar to those for renewable energy.

• Standards and certifications to build trust.

• Financing mechanisms like green bonds.

• Integration into national disaster plans and renewable energy policies.

Beyond Infrastructure

Accessibility means more than installing machines. Models like pay-per-use or microfinancing, along with community training and awareness campaigns, ensure long-term impact and trust in AWG solutions.

The Way Forward

Scaling AWG is not just a technological challenge—it’s a socio-political one. By aligning partnerships, policy, and people, AWG can become a cornerstone of global water security, helping to democratize clean water as a right for all.

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Can Decentralised Water Systems Fix Ageing Infrastructure?

Climate change, rapid urbanisation, and ageing infrastructure are putting unprecedented pressure on global water systems. Traditional centralised models—such as large dams and treatment plants—are proving inadequate for today’s complex challenges.

In the United States, for instance, the American Society of Civil Engineers recently rated the country’s drinking water infrastructure a “C–” and wastewater systems a “D+”, underscoring years of underfunding and decline.

To ensure a more sustainable and resilient future, experts—including Navkaran Singh Bagga, Founder & CEO of AKVO—are advocating for a shift towards decentralised water management systems. These systems are flexible, locally driven, and better equipped to serve modern communities. By reducing reliance on ageing infrastructure, decentralised solutions can deliver smarter, more sustainable water management.

But infrastructure alone isn’t enough. Success also depends on policy innovation and public involvement. Governments must move from rigid, top-down models to more adaptive, inclusive regulations that empower local solutions. At the same time, citizens must play an active role—whether by tracking their own water use or participating in local water boards—to build accountability and resilience at the community level.

As Navkaran Singh Bagga emphasizes, embracing decentralisation is not just a choice—it’s a necessity. By combining innovation with community action, we can protect and secure water resources for generations to come.

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