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ABOUT V3F

Nurturing the Spirit of
Entrepreneurship.

At the heart of innovation lies the spirit of entrepreneurship. V3F Nagpur is committed to nurturing this spirit — as VNIT's incubation wing, we catalyse startups that drive positive change, innovation, and economic development across the region.

Section 8 Company Affiliated with VNIT Nagpur Founder-First Ecosystem Nagpur Region
Vision & Mission Details Features Leadership Governance

Vision

To be the leading technology-driven entrepreneurship hub, empowering innovators to create global impact.

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Mentors session at V3F
V3F event

Our objective is to create an environment that encourages sustainable entrepreneurship by providing the right ecosystem, support, and opportunities while contributing to long-term ecosystem development through continuous collaboration and innovation.

Mission

MISSION

Building a Founder-First Ecosystem.

V3F Nagpur provides startups with access to state-of-the-art facilities, a strong and well-connected network of mentors, valuable industry connections, and a supportive community that empowers entrepreneurs to grow, innovate, and thrive.

Our objective is to create an environment that encourages sustainable entrepreneurship by providing the right ecosystem, support, and opportunities while contributing to long-term ecosystem development through continuous collaboration and innovation.

Startups incubated at V3F Nagpur also benefit from being a part of the broader VNIT innovation ecosystem. They gain access to the expertise and guidance of faculty members, well-equipped research infrastructure, talented student communities, meaningful industry partnerships, and established investor networks — providing a strong foundation and a supportive environment to grow.

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VNIT Affiliation

V3F operates as a Section 8 company affiliated with VNIT Nagpur, with the Director of VNIT serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

V3F Campus
V3F Space
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FEATURES

What Makes V3F Different.

Six core principles that define our approach to building a founder-centric, sustainable incubation ecosystem.

APPROACH

Founder-Friendly Approach

Our incubation framework supports entrepreneurs with resources to build sustainable ventures - not just extract equity.

AWARENESS

Competitive Landscape Awareness

Our policy considers leading incubators across the region, ensuring startups receive best-in-class support.

ECOSYSTEM

Long-Term Ecosystem Development

V3F fosters entrepreneurial growth and sustainable businesses contributing positively to the Nagpur region.

FACULTY

Incentives for VNIT Faculty

Faculty mentoring startups is recognised by VNIT during appraisal and professional evaluation.

COMMUNITY

Subsidised Services for VNIT Community

VNIT students and alumni get significantly reduced fees compared to external applicants.

AUTONOMY

Operational Autonomy

V3F operates with functional autonomy for quick decision-making while aligned with VNIT's vision.

LEADERSHIP

Meet the people behind V3F.

A distinguished board and seasoned advisors — the network guiding every V3F venture.

Tap for info Prof. B.S. Murty

Prof. B.S. Murty

Research & Deep-Tech

RESEARCH & DEEP-TECH

Prof. B.S. Murty

One of India's foremost materials scientists. A pioneer in nano-materials and high-entropy alloys research, guiding V3F on deep-tech incubation strategy and research commercialisation pathways aligned with DST and SERB programs.

RESEARCHDEEP TECHMATERIALS SCIENCE
Tap for info Mr. Hiranmay Mahanta

Mr. Hiranmay Mahanta

Ecosystem & Innovation

ECOSYSTEM & INNOVATION

Mr. Hiranmay Mahanta

Drives Gujarat's flagship startup ecosystem across 104 universities as CEO of i-Hub Gujarat. As Founding Director of GTU Innovation Council, he built one of India's most cohesive academic innovation ecosystems over a decade.

ENTREPRENEURSHIPECOSYSTEMPOLICY
Tap for info Mr. Jagdish Desai

Mr. Jagdish Desai

Global Business & Investment

GLOBAL BUSINESS & INVESTMENT

Mr. Jagdish Desai

Co-founded Virgo Valves & Controls, scaling it to a landmark $400M acquisition by Emerson Electric in 2014. Now a venture capitalist advising V3F on international growth, fundraising, and cross-border deal-making.

VENTURE CAPITALGLOBAL OPSM&A
Tap for info Prof. M.S. Unnikrishnan

Prof. M.S. Unnikrishnan

Industry-Academia & Policy

INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA & POLICY

Prof. M.S. Unnikrishnan

A rare leader who excelled at the highest level in both industry and academia. As MD & CEO of Thermax he globalised the engineering conglomerate. Now heads the IITB-Monash Research Academy championing technology development and sustainable industrial growth.

ACADEMIAINDUSTRYPOLICY
Tap for info Prof. Ramesh C Jain

Prof. Ramesh C Jain

AI, Technology & Healthcare

AI, TECHNOLOGY & HEALTHCARE

Prof. Ramesh C Jain

A 50-year pioneer in AI, computer vision, and multimedia computing. Founded the AI Lab at University of Michigan. His students created Photoshop, the iPod, and the iPhone. Now builds multimodal AI systems for healthcare at billion-person scale.

AI & VISIONDEEP TECHHEALTHTECH
Tap for info Dr. Prem Lal Patel

Dr. Prem Lal Patel

Chairman · Director, VNIT Nagpur

CHAIRMAN

Dr. Prem Lal Patel

Director, VNIT Nagpur and Chairman, V3F Board of Directors. Distinguished civil engineer and prolific researcher with 30+ years in academic administration. Champions regional entrepreneurship, deep-tech incubation, and industry-academia collaboration at the national level.

RESEARCHLEADERSHIPWATER RESOURCES
Tap for info Mr. Shashikant Chaudhary

Mr. Shashikant Chaudhary

Vice Chairman · Serial Entrepreneur

VICE CHAIRMAN

Mr. Shashikant Chaudhary

Serial entrepreneur and tech investor with 35+ years driving India's IT and startup landscape. Instrumental in placing Nagpur on the national IT map. As Vice Chairman of V3F, he spearheads funding pipelines and pre-incubation support for early-stage founders.

ENTREPRENEURANGEL INVESTORMENTOR
Tap for info Dr. Yashwant Kathpatal

Dr. Yashwant Kathpatal

Board Member · Dean R&C, VNIT

BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Yashwant Kathpatal

Dean of Research & Consultancy and HAG Professor at VNIT Nagpur with 30+ years of service. Expert in Earth Systems, spatial analysis, and GIS, driving VNIT's strategic research, external funding, and industrial collaborations.

ACADEMIARESEARCHGIS
Tap for info Uday Kamat

Mr. Uday Kamat

Board Member · Corporate Strategist

BOARD MEMBER

Mr. Uday Kamat

Seasoned corporate executive and business management consultant with 40+ years directing large-scale operations in industrial, energy, and agro-infrastructure sectors. Provides strategic guidance and industrial perspective to shape V3F's incubation programs.

INDUSTRYSTRATEGYOPERATIONS
Tap for info Dr. R. B. Deshmukh

Dr. R. B. Deshmukh

Board Member · Prof., VLSI & Nanotech, VNIT

BOARD MEMBER

Dr. R. B. Deshmukh

Professor at the Centre for VLSI and NanoTechnology, VNIT Nagpur, with 35+ years of service. Highly cited authority in advanced microelectronics, low-power circuit architectures, and digital signal processing — shaping VNIT's VLSI design and nanotechnology frameworks.

VLSIELECTRONICSDEEP TECH
Tap for info Dr. Dilip Peshwe

Dr. Dilip Peshwe

Board Member

BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Dilip Peshwe

HAG Professor of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering and Dean of Faculty Welfare at VNIT Nagpur with over 40 years of experience. A respected researcher and administrator, he has guided 18 PhD scholars, authored 4 books, and holds 6 patents.

MATERIALS SCIENCEGOVERNANCEPOLICY
Tap for info Vivek Deshpande

Mr. Vivek Deshpande

Board Member · Co-Founder, Spacewood

BOARD MEMBER

Mr. Vivek Deshpande

Co-founder of Spacewood, one of India's leading modular furniture manufacturers, scaled from a regional startup to a major national brand. Angel investor and entrepreneur with 30 years in manufacturing and startup ecosystems.

ENTREPRENEURMANUFACTURINGANGEL INVESTOR
Tap for info Mr. Anil Singh

Mr. Anil Singh

COO & Head of Incubation

INCUBATION & OPERATIONS STRATEGY

Mr. Anil Singh

Seasoned incubator leader with 22+ years driving corporate operations and startup ecosystem design. As former CEO of IIT Mandi Catalyst, he scaled 250+ deep-tech startups and established incubation centers at 10+ academic institutions nationwide. Leveraging deep alignments with Startup India, AIM, and MeitY, he channels robust operational frameworks and investment readiness pathways to scale V3F Nagpur's portfolio ventures.

STARTUP STRATEGYINCUBATION OPSGOVERNMENT ALIGNMENT
Tap for info Mr. Parag Borkar

Mr. Parag Borkar

Business Analyst · Data Strategy

BUSINESS ANALYSIS & DATA STRATEGY

Mr. Parag Borkar

Analytical strategist specializing in data intelligence, market modeling, and business solutions. As a Business Analyst at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), he designs robust frameworks using advanced analytics tools like Power BI and Tableau to transform complex data into actionable insights. He channels this technical expertise to optimize incubation operations and guide early-stage V3F startups in building data-backed growth strategies.

DATA ANALYTICSBUSINESS INTELLIGENCESTRATEGIC PLANNING
GOVERNANCE

Governance Structure.

V3F operates with clearly defined accountability structures to ensure transparency, fairness, and institutional alignment.

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Accountability Framework

  • -The Director of VNIT Nagpur chairs the Board of Directors
  • -Operational activities are reported to the Board quarterly
  • -Policy revisions are made periodically by the Governing Board
  • -Faculty startup and IPR matters are guided by VNIT policies
  • -Disputes are resolved through mediation or arbitration
  • -All startups submit audited financial statements annually
policy

Key Policy Frameworks

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Selection Authority

Final incubation decisions rest with the V3F Governing Board or an authorised committee comprising faculty, industry experts, and investors.

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IP Ownership

IP created using VNIT resources is governed by the VNIT IPR Policy. Startups retain IP developed independently with V3F's guidance.

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Exit Strategy

V3F exits equity via founder buyback, secondary share sale, or acquisition. All exit terms are defined clearly at onboarding.

JOIN THE ECOSYSTEM

Ready to build your startup
within V3F?

Apply for incubation and gain access to a structured, transparent, and founder-friendly environment backed by VNIT Nagpur.

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