Indian Institute of Science

What Indian Institute of Science does

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is a deemed university and autonomous research institution headquartered in Bengaluru, India, established in 1909 and operating under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The institute delivers undergraduate (BTech via JEE Advanced/JoSAA), postgraduate (MTech, MSc, MS), and doctoral programs across engineering, physical sciences, biological sciences, and interdisciplinary areas, enrolling roughly 5,678 students and employing around 490 faculty members across 979 courses. IISc operates a second 1,500-acre campus at Challakere in Chitradurga district focused on climate, solar, and sustainable technology research. It has consistently ranked as India's top institution under NIRF and within the QS World University Rankings.

IISc's research portfolio spans quantum computing and quantum-safe cryptography (a 28nm CMOS SQIsign chip for IoT, free-space quantum key distribution achieving 270 kbps, wafer-scale 2D magnetic material growth, and India's first open-access superconducting quantum testbeds with Qbit Force), semiconductor and nano-engineering (a 3,200 sq. ft. cleanroom at CeNSE, a new Training Fab Facility, and a Schaeffler-backed HPC facility delivering ~32 PFLOPs), AI-driven healthcare diagnostics (breast, oral, kidney, cardiac, and obesity detection with NIMS; AI fraud detection for Ayushman Bharat; ADARV epidemic intelligence), medical devices (the biodegradable Asthana Stent licensed to Advanced Medtech Solutions and the CLEAR imaging platform with JNCASR), and sustainability (rice-husk-pellet steelmaking with Jindal and CSIRO, solar feasibility for BMRCL, advanced wastewater treatment with EP Biocomposites). Centerpieces include the Wadhwani-IISc Innovation Centre (Rs 1,400+ crore pool), the InQubate quantum acceleration platform, and the FSID incubator with ~140 deep-tech startups.

Revenue comes from five streams: tuition across academic programs, government research grants (ANRF, National Quantum Mission, DST, DBT, DRDO), industry consultancy (CSIC), technology licensing and transfer (IPTeL), and incubator-driven startup returns. The institute's go-to-market operates through JoSAA and GATE-based admissions, the Centre for Continuing Education for professional courses, dedicated industry partnership cells (FSID, CSIC, IPTeL), and a network of international research collaborations spanning the UK, Canada, USA, Japan, and Australia. IISc does not publicly report revenue figures.

Name

Indian Institute of Science

Legal name

Indian Institute of Science

Website

https://iisc.ac.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is India's premier deemed research university, founded in 1909 in Bengaluru, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in science and engineering while conducting advanced research in quantum computing, semiconductors, AI-driven healthcare diagnostics, nanotechnology, and sustainable technologies for government, industry, and academic partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Scientific Research

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA), STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)

Keywords

• Higher education research
• Scientific research services
• Technology transfer licensing
• Deep tech incubation
• Engineering graduate programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bengaluru

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Academic Programs: Tuition fees from undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. BTech programs admit students through JoSAA based on JEE Advanced ranks. The institute offers various degree programs across engineering, sciences, and interdisciplinary fields.
2. Research Grants and Funding: Substantial funding from government agencies including Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), National Quantum Mission, and various ministry grants. The Wadhwani-IISc Innovation Centre received Rs 1,400+ crore ($147.5 million USD) investment pool.
3. Industry Consultancy and Collaboration: Revenue from industry partnerships, consulting contracts, and collaborative research projects through CSIC (Centre for Scientific and Industrial Consultancy). Partnerships with companies like Schaeffler India, CADFEM/Synopsys generate research funding.
4. Technology Transfer and Licensing: Revenue from licensing technologies developed at the institute, such as the biodegradable Asthana Stent licensed to Advanced Medtech Solutions. IPTeL office handles intellectual property commercialization.
5. Incubator and Startup Support: FSID incubator supports deep-tech startups and may generate returns through equity or success fees. The incubator has built portfolio of nearly 140 deep-tech startups over 10 years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is India's premier research university offering advanced undergraduate (BTech), postgraduate (MTech, MSc, MS), and doctoral (PhD) degree programs across engineering, sciences, and interdisciplinary fields. Beyond education, IISc conducts multi-disciplinary scientific research and provides industry consultancy, technology licensing, and deep-tech startup incubation through FSID and the Wadhwani-IISc Innovation Centre. The institute generates revenue primarily through tuition, government and industry research grants, technology transfer royalties, and equity returns from its deep-tech startup portfolio.

Product overview

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is India's premier research university offering a portfolio of academic programs, research centers, and technology initiatives rather than commercial products. The portfolio includes graduate programs in specialized domains (Quantum Technology, Semiconductor Technology, Bioengineering), research centers (CeNSE, Centre for Brain Research, Centre for Water Research), incubation services (FSID, Wadhwani-IISc Innovation Centre), and notable technology prototypes (quantum-safe chip for IoT security, biodegradable stent). The AI Centre of Excellence in Healthcare drives diagnostic AI development, while the ADARV platform supports epidemic intelligence. The SemiFirst initiative addresses semiconductor workforce development. These offerings are integrated through IISc's research divisions spanning Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Electrical/ Electronics/ Computer Sciences, Mechanical Sciences, and Physical and Mathematical Sciences, with the Tata IISc Medical School providing clinical research capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• InQubate: Quantum-focused startup acceleration platform powered by IISc's quantum ecosystem including QuRP, FQCI, and INUP
• CeNSE
• Centre for Brain Research (CBR)

Products and services

• Undergraduate BTech Programs Four-year residential undergraduate engineering degree programs with admissions through JoSAA counselling based on JEE Advanced ranks. Programs span materials science, mechanics and computing, aerospace, and other engineering disciplines. Targeted at high-achieving Indian students seeking research-intensive engineering education.
• Postgraduate Degree Programs Master's and doctoral programs including MTech, MSc, MS, and PhD across engineering, sciences, and interdisciplinary domains. Specialized streams include Quantum Technology, Semiconductor Technology, and Bioengineering. Admissions through GATE scores and institute-level examinations. Targeted at graduates pursuing advanced research training.
• Continuing Education Online Course - Machine Learning for 6G Wireless Online professional development course covering machine learning applications for 6G wireless communication systems, delivered through IISc's Centre for Continuing Education. Targeted at working professionals and researchers in telecommunications.
• Industry Consultancy Services (CSIC) Fee-for-service consulting, collaborative research, and technology development delivered through the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Consultancy. Targeted at industrial enterprises across automotive, steel, energy, biotech, and electronics sectors seeking materials research, simulation, and advanced engineering expertise.
• Technology Licensing and Transfer (IPTeL) Intellectual property commercialization services handled through the IPTeL office, licensing IISc-developed technologies to industry partners for further development and commercialization. Targeted at companies seeking to license breakthrough technologies developed at IISc.
• Deep-Tech Startup Incubation (FSID)

Quantifiable outcome

• Prevented fraudulent claims worth approximately Rs 630 crore under Ayushman Bharat scheme
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability13 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Sentient FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Sentient Foundation committed $42 million Open Source AGI Grant and Investment Program, one of the largest funding commitments dedicated exclusively to open-source AGI development. IISc will help evaluate applicants alongside advisory council of open-source AI community members.
• Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Joint research initiative to develop AI tools for healthcare tailored to Indian patients for early diagnosis, risk assessment, and personalised treatment of breast cancer, oral cancer, kidney diseases, heart ailments, and obesity.
• Qbit ForcecoreTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2026India's first open-access superconducting quantum computer testbeds partnership. Qbit Force partnered with IISc to produce qubit chips and host testbed facilities at the institute.
• Nothing TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Strategic MoUs signed during Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France for mentorship, startup incubation, and innovation collaboration. Involves student mentorship programs, industrial design challenges, and engagement with IISc-incubated startups.
• JNCASR (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Joint development of CLEAR imaging platform (Cleavable Light-Erased Antibody Reporter) enabling visualization of multiple proteins within same biological sample using single fluorescent marker.
• Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2026Long-term collaboration planning to integrate AI tools into diagnosis and patient care. Partnership aims to enable multi-centre AI healthcare studies and explore precision medicine applications.
• Yaqumo Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026Strategic R&D partnership in quantum technologies aligned with India-Japan Digital Partnership 2.0. IISc's laboratories and cleanrooms serve as testbeds for validating Yaqumo's neutral-atom quantum hardware technology.
• Schaeffler IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026Opened computational research facility at FSID delivering around 32 PFLOPs of peak performance combining CPUs and GPUs. Supports high-performance computing for materials, energy systems, and sustainable mobility research.
• Various Indian Institutions (AI Challenge)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2026IISc's Centre for Brain Research launched AI Challenge inviting teams from Indian institutions to develop AI tools for tracking and predicting dementia and brain aging using large-scale datasets.
• University of LiverpoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Joint seed fund for early-stage collaborative research in AI, health, and space. Two institutions co-invest annually for initial three-year period with faculty and student exchanges, joint supervision, workshops, and symposia.
• CADFEM India and SynopsyscoreTechnology or Integration · 26 March 2026Partnership to establish advanced Center of Excellence for Simulation and Digital Engineering at CeNSE. Deploys multiphysics simulation tools, electronic design automation workflows, and specialized training programs.
• University of TorontomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Partnership to develop AI-powered centre of excellence for predictive healthcare systems. Includes $520,000 grant from Global Affairs Canada for faculty and student mobility across India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea.
• CSIRO (Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026World-first commercial-scale trial using rice husk pellets to replace coal in steelmaking at Jindal Steel facility. Could reduce India's steel sector emissions by up to 50%.
• NLC India Limited (NLCIL)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026MoA for collaborative project focused on innovation in mining. Aims to address critical mining requirements through indigenous material development.
• EP Biocomposites LimitedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026Strategic agreement to strengthen technical and research-backed capabilities in advanced wastewater treatment systems. IISc provides expert technical consultancy, design review, and process optimization support.
• Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026MoU for sustainable urban mobility research. Partnership aims to develop data-driven solutions and models to improve transportation efficiency, reduce congestion, and support sustainable development.
• University of Toronto (ACITI Partnership)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Partnership on AI research through Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation Partnership. One of 13 new Canadian-Indian university partnerships with funding commitment of up to CAD$25 million for scholarships.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Global benchmark for technology-transfer-driven research universities with the Lincoln Laboratory, Media Lab, and Deshpande Center. Comparable in mission (STEM research + commercialization) and in industry-funded centers like IISc's Schaeffler partnership or Wadhwani Centre. Operates at substantially larger scale.
• Stanford University: Stanford's combination of foundational research and Silicon Valley commercialization (Office of Technology Licensing, Stanford Research Park) is the gold standard IISc's FSID and InQubate models emulate. Comparable in semiconductor and AI research strength, but at much larger global scale.
• ETH Zurich: ETH Zurich is a global premier STEM research university with strong industry collaboration and technology transfer. Comparable in research output across engineering, sciences, and AI, and serves as a global benchmark for government-funded research universities that IISc aspires to match in international standing.
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech): Caltech is a smaller elite STEM-focused research university with similar scale (~2,200 students vs IISc's 5,678) and comparable research intensity in physical sciences, quantum, and engineering. Both operate NASA/JPL-adjacent research programs and manage national-scale scientific facilities.

Direct peers

• IIT Bombay: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is India's other premier STEM-focused research university, with strong technology transfer, SINE incubator, and similar industry partnership model. Direct domestic competitor for top JEE students, faculty, and government grants, with comparable QS World University Rankings standing.
• IIT Delhi: IIT Delhi is a top-tier Indian research university competing with IISc for students, faculty, and industry partnerships. Has comparable research output in engineering, AI, and applied sciences with strong startup incubation ecosystem and government funding access.
• IIT Madras: IIT Madras is consistently ranked #1 in India under NIRF and competes directly with IISc for premier research talent, deep-tech incubation (IITM Research Park), and government R&D funding. Similar scale of students, faculty, and industry partnerships in semiconductor, AI, and manufacturing research.
• IIT Kharagpur: India's first IIT and a premier research university with comparable student/faculty scale, similar industry partnership model, and emerging deep-tech startup ecosystem (STEP incubator). Direct competitor in NIRF rankings and government R&D funding allocation.

Regional players

• Tsinghua University: Tsinghua is China's premier STEM research university with strong semiconductor, AI, and quantum programs backed by significant government investment. Operates in a different geography but serves as the closest Asian analogue to IISc in terms of government-backed deep-tech research intensity.
• National University of Singapore (NUS): NUS is Asia's top-ranked research university with comparable scale, strong industry partnerships, and significant government funding. Operates primarily in Singapore rather than India, but competes for international faculty and research talent and is a benchmark for IISc's global ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iiscbangalore
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRoMriYDaZDxp8-fRBQGMvA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/iiscbangalore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/indian-institute-of-science
• Instagraminstagram.com/indian_institute_of_science

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments2 records

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Frequently asked questions about Indian Institute of Science