INNOVATION DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT 2 Hyderabad’s T-Hub, India – triple helix model of innovation Overview T-Hub Foundation in Hyderabad, capital of southern India’s Telangana state, exemplifies collaborative governance through its innovative “triple helix” model uniting government, academia and industry. Operating from the world’s largest start-up facility – a 572,000 ft2 T-shaped building – T-Hub has created India’s premier innovation hub, supporting over 2,000 start-ups while engaging with 200+ corporates, 100+ investors and 290+ mentors.19 Strategic foundation and partnership architecture The ecosystem emerged from Telangana’s recognition that institutionalizing start-up activity could position it as an alternative to India’s traditional hubs in Bengaluru and the National Capital Region. The Government of Telangana anchors the model through infrastructure funding and policy frameworks. Academic partners – Indian School of Business, IIIT-Hyderabad and NALSAR University – provide business strategy, technical expertise and legal guidance. Industry leaders – including Tech Mahindra, Cyient and SRI Capital – contribute market insights and validation opportunities through board participation. This triple helix model creates complementary value streams: government provides stability and infrastructure, academia delivers research and talent development, and industry offers market access and commercial validation. Governance architecture and decision-making T-Hub operates through a three-tier framework balancing strategic oversight with operational agility. The CEO drives vision and execution, supported by leaders managing start-up programmes, corporate innovation, international partnerships and digital initiatives. The board, comprising representatives from all stakeholder groups, provides strategic direction, while an advisory committee reviews performance. Weekly leadership meetings handle operational decisions, with accountability maintained through systematic KPI monitoring of start-ups supported, funding raised and jobs created. Comprehensive ecosystem engagement T-Hub serves as an “incubator of incubators”, hosting India’s largest Atal Incubation Centre focused on healthcare, sustainability, spacetech, mobility and semiconductors. It houses MATH, India’s largest AI centre of excellence supporting 180+ AI/ML start-ups, and serves as India’s largest incubator for the defence platform iDEX, where start-ups have secured over $40 million in purchase orders. Corporate innovation programmes support enterprises through solution accelerators, innovation challenges and intrapreneurship programmes. T-Bridge – T-Hub’s global arm with partnerships across 11 countries – facilitates international expansion through programmes such as IMAP for international start-ups entering India and Trestle for Indian start-ups going global. Proximity to T-Works, India’s largest prototyping centre, provides seamless access to advanced manufacturing capabilities, creating an integrated ecosystem. Impact and replication framework Since 2015, T-Hub has strengthened Hyderabad’s position as a major innovation hub, with alumni featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Shark Tank India. The model’s emphasis on collaborative decision-making, transparent accountability and inclusive engagement provides a replicable framework for regions developing innovation ecosystems through multi- stakeholder partnerships. Source: T-Hub Foundation.20 Innovation Ecosystems: A Toolkit of Principles and Best Practice 16

Innovation Ecosystems 2025