Washington, February 9 (IANS). The Global Pan-IIT Conference will be held in April in Long Beach, California. Thousands of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) alumni, entrepreneurs and executives will gather. This program will be organized for four days. The program will focus on how a small community of Indian-origin technologists is playing a major role in shaping innovation, capital, and public life in both India and the US.
The conference will be held on April 22-25, 2026, with the theme “Innovate, Ignite and Thrive”. More than 2,500 people from all over the world are expected to attend. According to Shashi Tripathi, venture capitalist and chairperson of the 2026 meeting, the event aims to bring together some of the world’s brightest minds and industry leaders at a time when technology, geopolitics and economic power are rapidly changing.
The conference will be built around themes that reflect both opportunities and concerns in the global economy, including AI, health and sustainability, investment and venture capital, private equity and exit planning.
In an interview with IANS, Shashi Tripathi said there will be six grand keynotes, as well as panels, fireside chats and workshops, including a session led by Nvidia that will focus on go-to-market strategy and fundraising for startups.
Yet Tripathi stressed that this gathering is not exclusive. “Anyone can come. You don’t have to be from IIT, you don’t even have to be Indian. We are very inclusive,” he said.
He said this openness shows how the Indian community, and especially IIT alumni, have integrated themselves into the US economy while remaining closely connected to India. “The Indian community is generally about 2 per cent of the US population, and we are adding 8 per cent to the economy. Think about that proportion,” he said.
For decades, IIT graduates have been the hallmark of Silicon Valley’s engineering talent. Tripathi said the community has since expanded into healthcare, startups, venture capital and corporate leadership. “Now we’re moving beyond tech. We’re into healthcare. We’re into business. We’re into startups. We’re creating economies as part of this ecosystem,” he said.
He referred to the long-standing concern that India’s best minds leave the country. But he rejected the view that migration has weakened India. “Even though we are great citizens outside the country, like in the US, we are deeply connected to the Indian ecosystem. This connection goes far beyond remittances,” he told IANS.
Referring to investment options, Shashi Tripathi said, “That ecosystem is not just about sending money. That ecosystem is about building startups. 50 per cent of my portfolio is in India because I know the Indian ecosystem.”
The conference is expected to discuss artificial intelligence and Tripathi described it as a turning point as big as, or perhaps even bigger than, the advent of the Internet. He said, “I believe that AI is the biggest revolution. Its accessibility is what makes it different from earlier technological changes. With AI, you don’t have to learn. You actually open your phone and start talking.”
Tripathi clearly said, “Although the fear of losing jobs remains, those who are doubting AI and not using it will lose their jobs.” At the same time, he expressed confidence that new technologies will ultimately create more opportunities, as previous revolutions have done.
Responding to a question, Tripathi said that he sees a natural partnership between India and America in Artificial Intelligence. The US leads in investment and innovation, while India offers scale and diversity through its large digital infrastructure.
India is investing heavily in digital platforms and AI initiatives and the US is home to many of the world’s largest technology companies, so collaboration between the two countries could be important. He said, “If these two cooperate together, they can create a very powerful AI board in the future.”
–IANS
KK/AS
