India has embarked on a bold initiative to build its Scientific Foundation Model (SFM), with AI startup ZenteiQ.ai playing a pivotal role. The announcement was made by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during a pre-event session of the IndiaAI Summit. The SFM is designed to empower the nation’s industrial and scientific community by providing AI-driven tools tailored to researchers, students, and R&D innovators, in line with India’s scale, diversity, and future aspirations.

ZenteiQ.ai Among Selected Startups

ZenteiQ.ai is one of eight startups chosen by the Indian government to build sovereign foundational models under the IndiaAI Mission. This selection marks a significant milestone in the country’s journey to establish homegrown AI capabilities that can support both academic and industrial research.

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From Academia to Deep Science R&D

Established in 2022, ZenteiQ.ai began as an experimental project exploring the application of AI in higher education. Over time, the company shifted its focus towards science and engineering research, creating solutions that address critical needs in advanced sectors.

Its expertise lies in thermal analysis, with applications ranging from battery design and semiconductor manufacturing to aerospace and electric vehicle innovation. This niche positioning gives ZenteiQ.ai a strong edge in tackling complex scientific challenges with AI.

Leadership and Expertise

The company is led by Professor Sashikumaar Ganesan, a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). He heads the AI for Research and Engineering eXcellence (AiREX) Lab, specializing in Scientific Machine Learning (SciML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), high-performance computing, and hardware-aware numerical methods. His leadership provides ZenteiQ.ai with a strong academic foundation and technical expertise.

Funding and Infra Support

Under the IndiaAI Mission, ZenteiQ.ai will receive ₹75 crore in the first year, with the majority of funds dedicated to compute resources. This investment is crucial for training its planned 8-billion-parameter Scientific Foundation Model within a 12-month timeline.

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Beyond direct funding, the government is ensuring access to advanced data centres equipped with state-of-the-art GPUs such as NVIDIA H100S and H200S, helping the startup reduce costs and accelerate development. This infrastructure support is designed to keep India’s AI ecosystem globally competitive.

Strengthening India’s AI Ecosystem

The development of ZenteiQ.ai’s model is not just a technological milestone but also a strategic move in strengthening India’s sovereign AI ecosystem. By supporting indigenous startups, the IndiaAI Mission aims to establish a new era of scientific innovation, where homegrown AI models can drive breakthroughs across industries, academia, and national research priorities.