India’s manufacturing innovation ecosystem, SIG Tattva, the corporate venture capital and innovation arm of Somany Impresa Group, has partnered with AGI Greenpac Limited and Pontaq Ventures to host what the companies describe as India’s first manufacturing-tech founder immersion workshop built around live factory problem-solving and merit-based pilot awards.
Held on June 24–25, 2026 at AGI Greenpac’s manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad, the two-day programme brought eight deep-tech start-up founders directly onto the shop floor to work alongside plant and business leaders, understand operational bottlenecks, and co-develop solutions for real manufacturing challenges. The workshop concluded with five start-ups securing Proof of Concept (PoC) engagements worth ₹75 lakh within 48 hours.
A shift from pitch decks to plant-floor execution
Unlike traditional start-up showcases, the initiative was structured as an immersive and outcome-oriented engagement. Founders were taken through live manufacturing operations, briefed by department heads on current operational issues, and asked to build solutions aligned with AGI Greenpac’s real-world requirements.
The participating start-ups then presented their proposals to the leadership teams of AGI Greenpac, SIG Tattva, and Pontaq, followed by detailed Q&A sessions to evaluate feasibility, implementation readiness, and commercial potential. Pilot projects were awarded based on merit, scalability, and readiness for deployment.
The workshop marks a notable shift in corporate-start-up collaboration in India’s manufacturing sector, where engagement often remains limited to presentations and networking. By moving founders directly into a production environment, the initiative sought to accelerate solution discovery and shorten the path to industrial adoption.
Five start-ups secure pilot opportunities
The eight participating companies were shortlisted from a pool of more than 20 start-ups drawn from Pontaq’s portfolio of around 180 ventures. Selection was based on alignment with AGI Greenpac’s manufacturing technology priorities, including AI/ML, industrial automation, robotics, quality inspection, predictive maintenance, emissions control, energy management, supply chain traceability, and cybersecurity.
The participating start-ups included Novorbis Itus, Kredily, Cairovision, mSense AI, Maxbyte Technologies, Presage Insights, Goat Robotics, and Borlaug Web Services.
At the end of the programme, five start-ups were awarded PoC engagements worth a combined ₹75 lakh, covering areas such as autonomous mobile robotics, computer vision, predictive maintenance, industrial emissions control, and logistics optimisation.
Building a repeatable open innovation platform
The workshop is being positioned as the first edition of “Floor to Future”, an open innovation programme that AGI Greenpac and SIG Tattva plan to continue beyond Pontaq by engaging with other venture capital firms and start-up ecosystems.
Shashvat Somany, Founder of SIG Tattva, said the future of industrial innovation depends on giving founders direct access to the environments where operational problems actually exist.
“For too long, founders have been expected to solve industrial challenges without direct access to the environments where those challenges exist. My vision is to democratise start-up access to the shop floor, where the action really takes place,” he said.
Sriharsha Bandaluppi, Head of SIG Tattva, said the programme reflects a move away from “innovation theatre” toward practical implementation.
“We believe this model can redefine corporate-start-up collaboration—moving away from superficial conversations and pitch decks toward real problem-solving, real pilots, and real outcomes,” he said.
AGI Greenpac eyes operational gains through external innovation
For AGI Greenpac, India’s largest manufacturer of container glass, the workshop aligns with its strategy of using external innovation to improve operational efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness.
Rajesh Khosla, CEO of AGI Greenpac Limited, said the company sees value in exposing its manufacturing ecosystem to founders bringing fresh ideas and emerging technologies.
“This workshop provided an opportunity for our teams to engage with entrepreneurs bringing fresh perspectives and emerging technologies to solve real business challenges. We are excited by the quality of ideas generated and look forward to exploring opportunities that can create tangible value for our operations, customers, and industry,” he said.
Pontaq highlights faster route from innovation to deployment
Prem Barthasarathy, Founder and Managing Partner of Pontaq VC, noted that enterprise pilot opportunities typically take months for start-ups to secure, especially in industrial sectors.
“By bringing founders directly onto the shop floor alongside operational and business leaders, start-ups gain first-hand insight into real-world challenges while enterprises gain access to cutting-edge innovation. What is particularly exciting is that potential proof-of-concepts emerged within just 48 hours of engagement,” he said.
A possible model for India’s manufacturing-tech ecosystem
The SIG Tattva–AGI Greenpac–Pontaq initiative comes at a time when Indian manufacturers are increasingly looking at Industry 4.0, AI-driven production systems, robotics, sustainability tools, and digital transformation platforms to improve competitiveness.
If scaled successfully, the “Floor to Future” model could become a blueprint for how manufacturing companies in India engage with start-ups—moving from passive innovation scouting to co-creation on the factory floor, with faster pilot deployment and measurable business outcomes.