New Delhi, Sep 26: The Indian Startup Association has raised concerns over the participation of startups at the India International Water Week 2026, saying such events should be assessed by the actual business, government and implementation opportunities they generate rather than by exhibitions, stages or visitor numbers.
The event was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from September 22 to 26.
The association said participation in major national events can be costly for early-stage startups, involving expenses related to stall fees, travel, accommodation, transportation, logistics, staff deployment and working time.
It said startups therefore need meaningful access to government departments, policymakers, implementing agencies, industry, CSR organisations, investors and potential customers.
“Participation of startups working in the water sector in such national and international events should not be evaluated merely on the basis of exhibitions, stages and visitor numbers, but on the basis of the actual business, government and implementation opportunities generated from them,” the association said.
The association said several Indian startups working in water, groundwater, climate change, agriculture and environmental sectors are developing solutions to address critical challenges despite limited resources.
“Providing exhibition space alone is not enough,” it said, adding that startups should be connected with pilot projects, government procurement, business opportunities and large-scale implementation.
It also proposed an outcome-based startup participation model for future events. Under the model, startups could be facilitated with meetings with relevant government departments and potential buyers before events, followed by regular tracking of contacts, pilot projects, memoranda of understanding, procurement and project implementation.
The association said the objective was to ensure that platforms supported by government and public resources contribute meaningfully to India’s innovation ecosystem.
Highlighting challenges such as water scarcity, declining groundwater levels, climate change, irrigation and rural water security, the association said the country’s water innovation ecosystem needed a stronger link between innovation and implementation.
“The entire chain of innovation → demonstration → pilot project → government procurement → scale-up needs to be strengthened,” it said.
The association said the ultimate measure of a water exhibition’s success should be the extent to which technologies and innovations showcased at the event reach the ground and benefit people and institutions.
“Startups need not just stalls, but opportunities; not just exhibition, but implementation,” the association said.
It expressed hope that future events would make startup participation more outcome-oriented and establish concrete mechanisms for wider adoption of Indian innovations in the water sector.
