India’s Tech Moment: From Sarvam To SATHEE, Homegrown Innovations That Stood Out At AI Impact Summit | Tech News

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 13:27 IST

Homegrown startup Sarvam attracted heavy footfall with demonstrations of its large language models built specifically for Indian languages and contexts

The team of Sarvam at India AI Impact Summit. (Image: X/amitabhk87)

The Galgotias robot dog fiasco may have briefly cast a shadow over the India AI Impact Summit, but it did little to dampen the larger momentum building on the ground. As the noise faded, a wave of homegrown innovation quickly reclaimed the spotlight, with Indian startups, research labs and academic institutions drawing packed audiences to their pavilions.

From indigenous language AI models and classroom-ready learning platforms to cutting-edge robotics and drone technologies, these homegrown solutions not only demonstrated real-world impact but also emerged as some of the biggest crowd pullers at the summit — underscoring how India’s AI story is being shaped as much by grassroots ingenuity as by global headlines.

Among the standout showcases was IIT Kanpur, which presented its AI-powered education platform SATHEE, designed to provide personalised tutoring, multilingual support and affordable preparation tools for competitive exams. Homegrown startup Sarvam attracted heavy footfall with demonstrations of its large language models built specifically for Indian languages and contexts, highlighting the push for culturally and linguistically relevant AI. Lovely Professional University impressed visitors with AI-enabled drones and autonomous systems tailored for disaster response and agriculture, while edtech innovator Stempedia showcased hands-on robotics and coding kits aimed at school students.

IIT Kanpur – SATHEE platform

At the summit, IIT Kanpur highlighted SATHEE as a practical example of AI addressing India’s education gap. The platform demonstrated AI-driven doubt resolution, adaptive mock tests and multilingual explanations tailored for competitive exams such as JEE and NEET. Live walkthroughs showed how students from smaller towns could access structured guidance comparable to high-end coaching centres.

The pavilion saw steady student and educator engagement, with many visitors keen on understanding how the tool could be scaled for government schools and rural learners. The strong response underscored growing interest in AI solutions that deliver measurable social impact rather than just technological novelty.

Sarvam – Indigenous language AI models

Sarvam emerged as one of the busiest booths at the expo, drawing crowds with real-time demonstrations of its large language models trained specifically on Indian languages and contexts. Visitors tested the system’s ability to switch seamlessly between languages, generate regionally nuanced responses and assist with translation and content creation.

Developers and policymakers alike showed interest in its potential applications in governance, customer service and digital inclusion. The sustained footfall reflected a broader appetite for AI that understands India’s linguistic diversity, positioning Sarvam as a key player in the country’s push for sovereign AI capabilities.

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak praised India’s vibrant startup landscape and explicitly pointed to companies such as Sarvam AI as examples of entrepreneurial strength, noting that India’s culture of frugal innovation enables ambitious achievements at lower costs. “You saw the announcements from Sarvam AI yesterday, which I thought were very powerful,” he said.

LPU – AI-Enabled Drones And Unmanned Systems

Lovely Professional University’s display of AI-powered drones and autonomous systems stood out for its hardware focus. The team showcased drones equipped for agricultural monitoring, disaster assessment and surveillance, with simulated demonstrations of terrain mapping and real-time data analysis. The exhibit attracted students, defence enthusiasts and agri-tech stakeholders curious about practical deployments.

The interactive nature of the display — including live control interfaces — helped the pavilion become a visual crowd-puller, reinforcing the message that Indian institutions are building applied AI solutions beyond software labs.

Stempedia – Robotics And AI Learning Kits

Stempedia’s booth buzzed with school students and educators exploring its AI and robotics kits designed to simplify coding and automation concepts. The company demonstrated how children could build and program small robots capable of object detection and basic decision-making. Hands-on sessions allowed visitors to experiment directly with sensors and microcontrollers, making the exhibit particularly engaging.

The enthusiastic participation highlighted the growing push to embed AI literacy at the school level, with educators expressing interest in integrating such kits into classrooms to future-proof learning.

xSpecies AI – Advanced Robotics Platforms

Hyderabad-based xSpecies AI showcased sophisticated robotics platforms focused on navigation, object manipulation and autonomous mobility. Through controlled demonstrations, the startup illustrated how its systems could operate in dynamic environments, signalling applications in manufacturing, logistics and service robotics. The technical depth of the presentation drew industry professionals and investors, sparking discussions on scalability and commercial deployment. The attention it garnered suggested that India’s AI narrative at the summit was not limited to software innovation but was increasingly extending into deep-tech robotics and intelligent machines.

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