IIT Kanpur launches biggest fundraising campaign, announces new entrepreneurship school, military drone hub

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has launched its ‘Greater Than Us’ fundraising campaign, aiming to raise US$1 billion (approximately Rs 9,000 crore) by March 2029. The campaign was launched by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The institute said Rs 4,155 crore had already been committed by alumni, donors, corporate partners and the government towards the fundraising campaign. The amount represents nearly half of the overall target.

The campaign aims to bring together alumni, donors, industry, and institutional partners to support its research, infrastructure, faculty recruitment and strategic initiatives. As part of the campaign launch, IIT Kanpur signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with alumnus Rahul Gautam, who has committed Rs 180 crore to establish the Gautam School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (G-SINE) at the institute’s Noida campus.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh launches 'greater than us' campaign

Focus on seven strategic areas

The campaign will support IIT Kanpur’s work in seven broad areas: cybersecurity, medical technology, social security, sustainability, semiconductors, drones and quantum technologies.

The institute plans to use the funds to strengthen research infrastructure, support faculty recruitment and attract talent. Director Manindra Agrawal has said that regular government funding largely covers salaries and maintenance, leaving the institute to mobilise additional resources for new initiatives, research facilities and recruitment.

IIT Kanpur has also identified a need for at least 3,000 additional hostel beds, new academic buildings and renovation of existing infrastructure. Several campus buildings are more than 60 years old and require upgrades, according to the director.

The campaign is intended to support both physical infrastructure and the people needed to advance research in emerging fields. IIT Kanpur has also proposed a School of Defence Technologies and a School of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing as part of its plans to strengthen its presence in strategic areas.

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IIT Kanpur Entrepreneurship School

The Gautam School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will focus on training technology-driven entrepreneurs and leaders for high-growth sectors, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital health, biotechnology, drones and advanced manufacturing.

The school is scheduled to launch in July 2027 with a flagship MBA programme in Technology and Entrepreneurship. It will have its own full-time faculty and degree programmes.

The school will be established at IIT Kanpur’s Noida campus and will work alongside the proposed Deep Tech Hub at the campus, giving students access to frontier-technology facilities to develop products from research. The school will also draw on the institute’s incubator, the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), which has incubated 571 startups, according to the campaign announcement.

Drone hub at IIT Kanpur

The institute also proposed setting up a National Military Drone Hub at IIT Kanpur. Director Manindra Agrawal had raised the proposal with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh a few months ago. The response was quick, and approval for the proposed hub is nearing completion.

IIT Kanpur fundraising campaign: Foundation, Talent and Frontiers

The ‘Greater Than Us’ campaign is structured around three pillars: Foundation, Talent and Frontiers. The Foundation pillar has a target of Rs 5,000 crore and will focus on research and institutional infrastructure. The Talent pillar aims to raise Rs 3,000 crore to support students, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, faculty members and future leaders. The Frontiers pillar has a target of Rs 1,000 crore and will support research and development in emerging technologies.

An IIT Kanpur presentation stated that the institute had set a resource mobilisation target of Rs 5,000 crore in October 2024 to prioritise critical initiatives. It has since mobilised Rs 4,155 crore, or 77% of that target, and expects to achieve it by early 2027.