AGI Greenpac & SIG Tattva back five deep-tech start-ups

AGI Greenpac and SIG Tattva awarded proof-of-concept pilot engagements worth INR 75 lakhs to five deep-tech start-ups after a two-day workshop at AGI Greenpac's manufacturing facilities.

Eight founders took part in the programme, which combined shop-floor visits with sessions with department heads and senior executives. Selected from more than 20 candidates from Pontaq Ventures' portfolio, the companies worked on live operational issues including automation, quality inspection, emissions control, supply chain traceability and cybersecurity.

The workshop was organised by SIG Tattva, the corporate venture capital and innovation arm of Somany Impresa Group, in partnership with Pontaq Ventures. AGI Greenpac, a glass packaging manufacturer with seven plants in India, hosted the sessions at its factory sites.

On the first day, founders toured manufacturing operations and were briefed on current bottlenecks by functional leaders. They then developed responses before presenting pilot proposals to AGI Greenpac and SIG Tattva's leadership teams, followed by a question-and-answer session on viability and readiness.

The final awards covered projects in autonomous mobile robots, computer vision, emissions control, predictive maintenance and logistics. The organisers described the process as a merit-based assessment of milestone readiness and potential for wider commercial use.

Selected founders

The participating start-ups were Novorbis Itus, Kredily, Cairovision, mSense AI, Maxbyte Technologies, Presage Insights, Goat Robotics and Borlaug Web Services. Their products and services span industrial emissions systems, human resources software, video analytics, factory inspection tools, industrial automation, predictive maintenance, mobile robotics and blockchain-based supply chain tracking.

Several focused directly on manufacturing applications. Cairovision develops AI and computer vision-based video analytics for industrial sectors, while mSense AI builds quality inspection tools using computer vision and acoustic intelligence. Goat Robotics makes autonomous mobile robots for industrial use and intralogistics, and Presage Insights focuses on AI- and IoT-led maintenance systems designed to reduce downtime.

The workshop was designed to move beyond standard pitch presentations by placing founders inside an operating factory environment. The model gave start-ups direct exposure to plant conditions and access to managers responsible for production, operations and process control.

Shashvat Somany outlined the thinking behind the initiative.

"The future of innovation lies in breaking down the barriers between start-ups and industry. For too long, founders have been expected to solve industrial challenges without direct access to the environments where those challenges exist. My vision is to democratise start-ups access to the shop floor, where the action really takes place. 'Floor to Future' is India's first initiative to create a platform where start-ups, operators and business leaders collaborate closely. This is the exact kind of structured, outcome-driven collaboration that accelerates successful pilots and drives long-term value creation for both start-ups and corporates. Through this initiative, we aim to bridge that gap by opening up SIG's manufacturing ecosystem to entrepreneurs," said Shashvat Somany, Founder, SIG Tattva.

Factory access

The programme reflects a wider effort by industrial groups in India to work more directly with technology start-ups on operational problems rather than broad innovation scouting exercises. Manufacturing businesses have often struggled to turn early conversations with start-ups into paid pilot projects, particularly when plant access, technical validation and procurement cycles create delays.

According to Pontaq, entering large industrial groups can take many months for young companies. The workshop was intended to shorten that process by putting founders in direct contact with operating teams and decision-makers at the outset.

"As an operator-led venture platform, our focus is on creating pathways from innovation to implementation. We believe this model can redefine corporate-start-up collaboration, moving away from superficial conversations and pitch decks toward real problem-solving, real pilots and real outcomes. In the first chapter of 'Floor to Future,' we partnered with Pontaq to bring founders onto the shop floor. What differentiated this workshop was the depth of execution, interactions with functional leaders to understand bottlenecks firsthand, and co-created solutions grounded in operational realities. Through this initiative, we aren't just talking about the future of industry-we are building a repeatable model that transforms innovation from conversation into execution," said Bandaluppi.

Rajesh Khosla said the manufacturer saw value in testing external ideas against practical business issues within its own operations.

"At AGI Greenpac, operational excellence and continuous innovation remain central to our growth strategy. As India's leading glass packaging manufacturer, we see immense value in bringing external innovation into our manufacturing ecosystem. This workshop gave our teams an opportunity to engage with entrepreneurs bringing fresh perspectives and emerging technologies to solve real business challenges. We are excited by the quality of ideas generated and look forward to exploring opportunities that can create tangible value for our operations, customers and industry," said Rajesh Khosla, Chief Executive Officer, AGI Greenpac.

According to Pontaq, potential proof-of-concept projects emerged within 48 hours of engagement between founders and factory teams.

"Large industrial conglomerates do not look for isolated point solutions; they seek integrated solutions that can improve quality, enhance productivity, increase revenues and reduce costs across the value chain. Yet for start-ups, breaking into large enterprises and securing pilot opportunities typically takes between 8 and 18 months. Through 'Floor to Future,' we are fundamentally changing this dynamic. By bringing founders directly onto the shop floor alongside operational and business leaders, start-ups gain first-hand insight into real-world challenges while enterprises gain access to cutting-edge innovation. What is particularly exciting is that potential proof-of-concepts emerged within just 48 hours of engagement. This demonstrates that when industry and innovation come together in the right environment, the path from conversation to execution can be dramatically shortened," said Prem Barthasarathy, Founder & Managing Partner, Pontaq VC.