31st March, 2026, Pune: Synopsys, Inc., the leader in engineering solutions from silicon to systems, and the Indian Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Parks and Business Incubators Association (ISBA), India’s only pan-India network of business incubators, today signed an MoU to announce a strategic collaboration to strengthen India’s startup and incubation ecosystem. Through access to engineering simulation, technical mentorship, and ecosystem support, this collaboration will accelerate the growth of India’s engineering hardware, deep-tech, and technology-led startups.

The Synopsys-ISBA collaboration aims to fast-track product development cycles, advance hardware reliability, cut prototyping costs, and improve the overall innovation capacity of young technology builders across the country. The collaboration also aligns with the broader national agenda of promoting indigenous innovation, enabling startups across systems engineering, robotics, automotive, aerospace, energy, and manufacturing to scale faster with industry-grade simulation capabilities.

ISBA plays a crucial role in strengthening India’s incubation and early-stage innovation landscape. For startups, the journey from idea to impact is often a long and tedious one. Through this partnership, Synopsys aims to empower hardware and deep-tech startups with world-class simulation tools, technical insights, and mentorship to accelerate their journey from idea to impact. This will build a stronger pipeline of engineering innovators for India,” said Murali Pullela, Country Head (Simulation & Analysis), Synopsys. As part of the collaboration, Synopsys will conduct joint events with ISBA to support engineering hardware and system- focused startups. Additionally, Synopsys will extend evaluation and trial licenses of Ansys engineering simulation software for three months to startups, incubators, and MSMEs recommended by ISBA, supported by its technical experts. Following these trial periods, eligible startups can join the Ansys Startup Program to gain access to the tools for an extended period of time.

ISBA plays a key role in India’s innovation ecosystem by bringing together incubators, startups, academia, industry, and government to support entrepreneurship in a structured and collaborative manner. Through its engagement with institutions supported by ministries and initiatives such as DST, MeitY, DPIIT, BIRAC, and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), ISBA facilitates knowledge exchange, capacity building, and access to critical resources. The partnership with Synopsys is expected to strengthen support for deep-tech and hardware startups by enabling access to advanced simulation tools and technical expertise. This, in turn, will enhance their ability to develop, test, and scale products, contributing to India’s growing technology innovation landscape,” said Mr. Prasad Menon, President, ISBA.

By combining Synopsys’ global engineering simulation expertise with ISBA’s extensive national network of incubators and startups, the collaboration is positioned to create meaningful impact for India’s next generation of engineering-first ventures. It will play a key role in the “Make in India” agenda.

The Synopsys and ISBA MoU was announced by Ashish Garde, Board Member, ISBA and Murali Pullela, Country Head (S&A), Synopsys. Ajay Deshkar, Managing Partner, 3D Engineering; and Sripriya Ranga Swamy, Director, SriHari Techsoft were also present at the event. 

About ISBA

The Indian STEPs and Business Incubators Association (ISBA) is the national voice for incubation, acceleration, and innovation-support institutions in India.

Established in 2004 with the support of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, ISBA brings together and strengthens a dynamic network of over 264 incubators and accelerators embedded across academic institutions, research organizations, technology parks, and public–private partnerships nationwide.

ISBA plays a catalytic role in advancing India’s startup ecosystem by enabling knowledge exchange, capacity building, strategic collaborations, and ecosystem-wide engagement. Its network spans Technology Business Incubators (TBIs), Science & Technology Entrepreneurs Parks (STEPs), and incubation centres supported by key government ministries and initiatives including MeitY, DPIIT, BIRAC, DST, and Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) as well as State Innovation Bodies, MSMEs, and industry stakeholders.

Through such collaborations, ISBA enables startups to access cutting-edge technologies, industry expertise, and global best practices empowering them to design, validate, and scale innovative, globally competitive solutions, particularly in deep-tech and hardware domains.

Registered as a not-for-profit society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, ISBA continues to drive innovation-led, inclusive growth and serves as a vital bridge between academia, industry, government, and entrepreneurs across India.