IIT Madras to launch first international centre for research and innovation in Dubai

Dubai: The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras is set to launch its first international flagship centre here for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in early 2025, it was announced on Friday. The IITM Global Dubai Centre will specialised in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), data science, robotics, and sustainable energy and create a new bridge to India's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Institute's plans to establish the Centre in Dubai has been facilitated through an agreement between Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM) and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

It signed by Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC) and Prof Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean, Global Engagement of IITM's during GITEX Global 2024, the 44th edition of the large-scale tech exhibition here.


A first of its kind established under IITM's new entity 'IITM Global', it will drive research, innovation, IP licensing, and technology transfer in key priority areas for Dubai, such as AI, data science, robotics, and sustainable energy technologies.

It will be marketed as part of IITM Global's offering and will also support the international scale-up of deep-tech growth stage start-ups.

"This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to expand the global footprint of IIT Madras and bring our expertise in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to Dubai's dynamic ecosystem," Prof Rengaswamy said.

The partnership between DET and IIT Madras is poised to further strengthen the strong economic and social links between Dubai and India.

"The launch of the IITM flagship Centre in Dubai, and our wider strategic partnership with the institute, represents an important milestone to position Dubai as a global leader in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship," Badri said.

"Through our partnership, we aim to increase the levels of research and development conducted in Dubai and attract top global talent and drive the growth of deep-tech startups," Badri said.