Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology India

What Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology India does

FAST India (Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology India), legally registered as the Center for Development and Promotion of Science, is a Delhi-based non-profit science policy think tank established on 2 November 2020. The organization focuses on the systemic reform of India's science and technology (S&T) ecosystem, targeting the country's low R&D intensity (~0.7% of GDP), weak research translation from academia to industry, underrepresentation in global rankings, and limited science communication capacity.

Its core outputs are data-driven research publications and public engagement programs rather than commercial products. The publication portfolio includes the State of Industry R&D in India sector reports (Aerospace & Defence, Automobile & Components, Energy, Chemical), the Translational Research Playbook, Global Benchmarks in Translational Research, the IIT Madras Research Park case study, the National Survey on Scientific Awareness and Engagement, and the Technology Panorama for Aatmanirbhar Bharat produced with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser. Public-facing programs include the annual India Science Festival (7th edition announced for January 2026 at IISER Pune), the India Science Book Fellowship (Rs 10 Lakhs grants across four cohorts from 2023-24 through 2026-27, funded in part by Cactus Communications), and SciComm ThinkLabs working groups.

FAST India is funded by grants, donations, and partnership co-funding rather than commercial revenue. Key funding and research partners include IIFL Securities (State of Industry R&D reports), Indegene (biotech ecosystem initiative), Cactus Communications (fellowship partner), the Office of PSA, IISER Pune, Deccan Education Society and Fergusson College Pune. The organization serves three primary stakeholder segments — Indian government policymakers, academic and research institutions, and industry R&D leaders — with a secondary audience of science communicators and writers. Leadership comprises Ashish Dhawan (Founder), Varun Aggarwal (Co-Founder), and Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan (Chair, Board of Advisors). All publications are distributed as free public goods via fast-india.org.

Name

Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology India

Legal name

Center for Development and Promotion of Science

Website

https://fast-india.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FAST India (Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology India) is a Delhi-based non-profit science policy think tank that produces data-driven S&T reports, fellowship programs, and the annual India Science Festival to reform India's science and technology ecosystem for government, academic, and industry stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO), Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Science policy research
• Science communication
• Policy advocacy services
• Research publications
• Ecosystem building

Headquarters

HQ city

Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Foundation/Grant Funding: As a registered non-profit foundation (registered as 'Center for Development and Promotion of Science'), FAST India operates through grants, donations, and partnerships. The organization was established on 2 November 2020.
2. Partnership-funded Research: Collaborative research and reports funded by partners such as IIFL Securities (State of Industry R&D reports), Indegene (biotech ecosystem), and other institutional partners. These partnerships support the production of sector-specific research publications.
3. Fellowship Program Funding: The India Science Book Fellowship provides financial grants to science writers (Rs 10 Lakhs per fellow) funded through partnerships like Cactus Communications, with the fellowship administered over a one-year period in four installments.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FAST India is a non-profit science policy think tank that produces data-driven research reports, policy briefs, and sectoral studies on India's science and technology ecosystem. It runs the India Science Festival as a flagship public engagement event, administers the India Science Book Fellowship for science writers, and facilitates programmatic support for government reforms in R&D funding and research translation.

Product overview

FAST India operates as a non-profit policy organization with a portfolio of research publications, fellowship programs, and public engagement initiatives rather than a unified product or platform. The core offerings include the India Science Book Fellowship (grants up to Rs 10 Lakhs for popular science books), India Science Festival (annual flagship event), and various State-of-Sector reports on industry R&D in India. Additional programs include SciComm ThinkLabs for science communication professionalization, the National Survey on Scientific Awareness, podcasts, and newsletters. FAST India Manifesto outlines policy recommendations for India's S&T transformation. These offerings function independently as tools for thought leadership, advocacy, and public engagement in the science ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• India Science Festival: Annual science festival bringing together scientists, researchers, and science communicators
• India Science Book Fellowship

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.7% of GDP devoted to R&D in India (compared to global averages)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• IndegenecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Collaboration to make the Indian biotech ecosystem future-ready. Joint initiative focused on research, policy recommendations, and ecosystem development for biotechnology sector growth in India.
• Deccan Education Society (DES) and Fergusson College PunesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2024Collaboration for hosting India Science Festival 2025 at Fergusson College, Pune. DES provides venue and local organizational support for the flagship science communication event.
• IIFL SecuritiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Strategic partnership for producing the State of Industry R&D in India report series. IIFL Securities co-funds and co-brands sector-specific reports covering Aerospace & Defence, Automobile & Components, Energy, and Chemical sectors. These reports track industry R&D performance and provide actionable insights for policy reform.
• Cactus CommunicationscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2023Cactus Communications joined as partner and funder for the India Science Book Fellowship, supporting one of the shortlisted fellows. This partnership provides additional funding and publishing industry expertise for the science writing fellowship program.
• Office of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Technology Panorama for Aatmanirbhar Bharat report, launched with the Office of PSA. This partnership brings government legitimacy and policy influence to FAST India's technology sector research.
• IISER PunesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerHost institution for India Science Festival 2026 (7th edition). Provides venue and academic credibility for the flagship science festival and public engagement event.
• Working With PartnerssupportingOthersOrganizational partners include BHU, TSIC (Telangana State Innovation Circle), CBC (Council for Biju Patnaik Centre), CDFD (Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics), and Office of PSA. These partners collaborate on various research and program initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IndiaBioscience: IndiaBioscience is a program that supports the Indian life sciences research community through funding, mentorship, and policy engagement. It is directly comparable to FAST India as a science ecosystem-building organization in India focused on researcher support, advocacy, and policy improvement, with overlaps in the biotech sector partnership work FAST India does with Indegene.
• Observer Research Foundation (ORF): ORF is a major Indian think tank covering strategic studies, policy research, and global affairs, headquartered in Delhi with a substantial research staff. It is directly comparable as a multi-vertical Indian think tank that combines research, public events, and government engagement in a non-profit model.
• Brookings India: Brookings India is the Indian affiliate of the Brookings Institution, producing high-quality policy research across economic and social issues. It is directly comparable as a non-profit policy research organization operating in India with a think tank model of published reports and government engagement.
• Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW): CEEW is one of India's leading policy research institutions, producing sector-specific data-driven reports and policy recommendations for government and industry. It is directly comparable to FAST India in mission, scale, and operating model of producing sectoral research that informs Indian policy.
• Centre for Policy Research (CPR): CPR is one of India's leading non-partisan policy research think tanks based in Delhi, producing policy briefs and reports across governance, economic, and social issues. It is directly comparable to FAST India as a Delhi-headquartered, grant-funded, research-driven think tank publishing policy recommendations to influence government.

Broad incumbents

• NITI Aayog: NITI Aayog is the Government of India's apex public policy think tank, providing directional and strategic inputs across all policy domains including science and technology. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with FAST India's S&T policy focus but operates with statutory government authority and far greater resources than any independent think tank.
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI): TERI is a major Indian research institute focused on energy, environment, and sustainable development with a large research staff and global partnerships. It is a broad incumbent comparable in the policy research space, with overlapping sector coverage in the Energy sector where FAST India has published R&D reports.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc): IISc Bangalore is India's premier public research institution for science and engineering, conducting frontier research and influencing national S&T policy. It is a broad incumbent that FAST India partners with (IISER Pune hosts the festival) and overlaps with on translational research and benchmarking, though IISc operates as an executing academic institution rather than an independent think tank.
• National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): NCAER is India's oldest and largest economic and policy research institution, producing influential national surveys and policy studies used by government. It is a broad incumbent comparable in the model of producing large-scale primary research that informs Indian government decisions, with similar non-profit operating structure.

Emerging players

• Ashoka University: Ashoka University is a private research-focused university in India built around liberal arts and sciences, supported by philanthropists including several of India's leading entrepreneurs. It is an emerging player with partial overlap with FAST India's mission of building Indian research and science communication capacity, though Ashoka operates as a degree-granting institution rather than an independent think tank.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FASTIndiaTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/fastindiaofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fast-india

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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