‘Ethereality meets Reality’, as VC-backed SpaceTech accelerator, entrepreneurship platform tie up to nurture talent

On the third day of Vivatech 2026 in Paris, KickSky Space Lab, India’s first VC-backed SpaceTech accelerator, announced a strategic partnership with Ideabaaz, India’s first integrated startup discovery and entrepreneurship platform, to identify, support and scale the country’s most promising DeepTech and SpaceTech founders.

As part of this strategic partnership, Ideabaaz has bought a strategic stake in KickSky Space Lab.

India’s DeepTech ecosystem is seeing rapid growth across space tech, aerospace, artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing, climate technologies, and defence innovation.

Yet, many of the country’s most promising ventures continue to struggle with access to specialised ecosystems, strategic partnerships, global customers, and growth capital.

This partnership is designed to address that gap directly. Through the collaboration, founders from the Ideabaaz ecosystem will gain access to KickSky’s specialised networks across SpaceTech and frontier technologies, including industry experts, research institutions, venture investors, corporates, and international partners.

KickSky Space Lab startups, in turn, will benefit from Ideabaaz’s national reach, gaining broader visibility, investor access and media exposure.

KickSky Space Lab was co-founded by Riceberg Ventures, E2MC Ventures, and Aniara Space with a mission to accelerate India’s emergence as a global leader in space tech and frontier technologies.

Over two cohorts, the accelerator has worked on connecting early-stage founders with investors, industry partners, government stakeholders, and international opportunities.

Ideabaaz, meanwhile, has built a national platform that brings entrepreneurial talent into the mainstream. Its flagship television show is hosted by actor Pratik Gandhi is claims to have achieved record-breaking viewership in its inaugural season.

Ankit Anand, Co-Founder, KickSky Space Lab and Founding Partner, Riceberg Ventures, said: “For India to become a global DeepTech powerhouse, we need more than capital. We need ecosystems that help founders bridge the gap between scientific innovation and commercial success. Together with Ideabaaz, we can help founders build technologies in India and scale them internationally.”

Mudit Kumar, Co-Founder, Ideabaaz, said: “India has no shortage of talent or breakthrough ideas. What many founders need is access — The right ecosystem, the right visibility and the right opportunities at the right time. This partnership ensures that exceptional DeepTech founders from every corner of India can access the networks and resources needed to compete globally.”