Building innovation pathways and shaping the future of quantum technology in India.
Innovation occurs at various spheres of influence — at an individual level, within
companies, across industries, or even at the ecosystem level in a country. It can
arise naturally and spontaneously from human ingenuity, emerge out of necessity, or,
in the case of industries, be spurred by competition, the desire to carve new niches,
or disrupt markets altogether.
In emerging technologies, understanding ecosystems and using Innovation Management
strategies play a key role in shaping how these technologies develop and at what speed.
With a career spanning three decades, I have spent two of those focusing on innovation
management, particularly in emerging technologies. This work has involved different
spheres of influence, but for the past decade or so, my primary focus has been on
emerging technology ecosystems.
When considering innovation at the ecosystem level, there is a fundamental shift in
mindset compared to innovating within a company or industry. The emphasis moves from
management to influence — operating across multiple dimensions and layers. This journey,
while challenging, has been deeply satisfying. Below, I share some of my learnings
from this ongoing experience. Since I currently focus on enabling and accelerating
the quantum ecosystem in India, many examples are drawn from recent work. However,
these learnings are universal and applicable to any emerging technology ecosystem.
Learnings on Innovation
Systems Thinking Approach to the Ecosystem
A technology ecosystem within a country goes far beyond just the companies and people
working in the field. It includes multiple stakeholders — government, industry, academia,
researchers, investors and end users. The complexity extends to evolving supply chains,
value chains, market opportunities and capacity-building needs.
A systems thinking approach allows us to look at the ecosystem as a collection of
smaller subsystems that interact with and influence each other. Intervening in one
part of the ecosystem may not yield the desired effect unless other parts are also
aligned. For example, increasing incentives and grants for startups will not work
if the end-user industry is unaware of the technology’s potential, market opportunities
are scarce, or skilled talent is unavailable to work in startups. Taking a systems
thinking approach, the right kind of interventions can be designed across the subsystems,
addressing different dependencies and bottlenecks to progress.
First Principles Approach
Innovatively solving complex problems in new domains often requires a first-principles
approach. A first principle is a basic assumption that cannot be deduced any further.
For instance, at the Quantum Ecosystems and Technology Council of India (QETCI), we
aimed to map India’s quantum ecosystem. Global best practices primarily focused on
supply chain mapping. However, given the diverse technologies in quantum computing
(e.g., at least 10 different approaches), future supply chains could diverge significantly.
Adopting a holistic approach, we discovered that Porter’s Value Chain was more suitable.
Originally proposed by Michael Porter for individual firms, value chain analysis looks
at the organization’s activities that collectively contribute to the creation, production
and delivery of products or services, enabling insight into which activities create
the most value and which ones may be outsourced. The concept has since been extended
to study national and international production networks.
A specific industry might be viewed as the movement of value between entities consisting
of that ecosystem. The mapping of the value chain provides knowledge of the roles,
functions and interconnections of the entities and helps policymakers, researchers,
and businesses to make effective decisions.
Yet even this framework needed adaptation, leading us to define “allied value chains.”
This innovation provided a clearer picture of the Indian ecosystem and is now used
in other contexts. For example, quantum computing, communications, sensors and materials
are not just part of an isolated quantum value chain but value flows from and to other
industries. The most notable of these are the semiconductor, nano technology and electronics
industries. These are referred to as Allied Value Chains.
Evidence-Based Insights for Better Foresight
Evidence-based insights are critical to gain buy-in. A data-based approach also removes
biases which creep in based on knowledge gaps and past experiences of individuals
providing policy recommendation.
In case of quantum, policy recommendations to the government were driven by evidence-based
insights. Conducting experiments within the ecosystem helped gather data, which informed
actionable insights and, in turn, effective policies.
A good example is the three-month incubation efforts done by QETCI in 2022. While
we wanted to promote more startups in quantum in India and drive policies that support
such efforts, it was very important to understand what kind of skill, mindset and
motivation existed in the ecosystem for initiating such startups. The incubation effort
included support for early-stage ideas with mentorship and availability of free infrastructure.
At the end of two months, we had 40 completed prototypes from 1,626 participants,
with 127 projects initially submitted. These were very large numbers.
We were also able to capture data on students vs. industry-experienced participants,
the number of female entrepreneurs, and where in India were the teams coming from.
All in all, the data was extremely useful in convincing the government that there
was enough potential for startups in quantum in India. From six startups in 2021,
the number is now close to 45 at the beginning of 2025.
Learning from Others, Adapting for India
Efforts in quantum technology across other countries offered valuable lessons. However,
applying these best practices without accounting for India’s context would have been
ineffective. For example, India’s strengths in photonics require tailored approaches
compared to superconducting qubits or other quantum computing methodologies. On the
other hand, Europe’s skill mapping framework for quantum is something that we are
finding useful at QETCI as we work on the skill and workforce planning for India.
Learnings on Innovation Leadership
Courage is key
In 2021, I realized the impact I wanted to create for quantum in India could not be
achieved within a corporate setting. The country needed a catalyst — a dedicated ecosystem
entity working with all stakeholders (government, academia, industry, investors, etc.).
When I was thinking of starting QETCI, a little voice in my head highlighted the impostor
syndrome I was experiencing. “Who did I think I was, trying to address the quantum
ecosystem at a national level?”
Leaving a well-paying corporate job to start QETCI — a nonprofit with no blueprint
— required significant courage. It wasn’t just a startup; it was envisioned as an
institution supporting India’s quantum aspirations. While the journey continues, the
progress over the past three years is motivating.
Co-Conspirators and Collaborators Matter
Courage thrives in the presence of collaborators. The belief and support of my co-founders
and governing board members enabled QETCI’s establishment and progress. Together,
we’ve laid a path for long-term impact.
Role models are a great inspiration
I have been able to derive insights and inspiration from those close to me. My father,
who is a civil engineer from IIT Madras (IITs are akin to the Ivy League institutions
in the U.S.), was born and brought up in a tiny village in Uttar Pradesh. Not only
was the village remote, but my grandfather was also a poor farmer.
When my father was 10 years old, he went to the nearby district school for an event
and was very impressed by the teachers visiting from a university in the nearest town.
He aspired to become a teacher. However, when he was a teenager, a civil engineer
visited the village to oversee the construction of irrigation canals. Curious about
engineering, my father asked this gentleman many questions and was amazed to learn
about engineering as a profession. He was astute enough to ask the engineer about
the path to becoming an engineer and studied extremely hard — topping his district,
earning scholarships and later applying for entrance to the IITs.
This story from my father’s life made me realize that we can only aspire to something if we know about it. When we think about quantum education, we want to spread awareness throughout India’s
vast and diverse landscape, reaching even the most remote villages, so we can provide
knowledge that sparks inspiration. Who knows — perhaps the next Einstein or Roger
Penrose equivalent is in a small Indian village right now, waiting for that spark
to arrive.
Clarity of Purpose and Service Mindset create the alignment
In navigating complexities, evolving technology and challenging situations, clarity
of purpose has been a guiding force. Revisiting our mission statement during moments
of doubt ensured alignment with our goals.
As an ecosystem player, QETCI serves and supports all entities, big or small. A service
mindset keeps us aligned with our mission.
Final Reflections
Before QETCI’s formation, my work offered important lessons. In 2020, while working
at a corporate entity, we trained 900 academicians in quantum information and computing.
This was in response to widespread interest from institutions eager to start quantum
courses. The scale of interest prompted a shift from our traditional support model
to a scalable “train the trainer” program.
Calls from students, Ph.D. scholars, faculty and professionals seeking advice or insights
reinforced the need for a national-level effort. Questions like “What does the nation
need to move forward in quantum?” and “What are the long-term implications for India?”
became central to my thought process. These thoughts in turn led to the recognition
that a catalyst ecosystem entity was required, which in turn led me to found QETCI,
a not-for-profit company whose mission is to enable and accelerate the quantum ecosystem
in India and to drive international collaboration in quantum.
QETCI’s existence, however, is a collective achievement. As leaders it would be foolish
to assume that our roles are the fruits of our own efforts entirely. While my co-founders
and I play roles in this journey, the ecosystem’s collective effort drives success.
Gratitude and humility remain the most powerful mantras as we move forward.
As the poet Robert Frost, an innovator of his time, wrote, “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but I have miles to go before I sleep.”
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