Bengaluru, Jan 7 (PTI) A science and innovation foundation at IISc Bengaluru on Wednesday partnered with the Mysuru Royal Family-led Cyberverse Foundation and deep-tech firm Pantherun to jointly incubate early-stage cybersecurity startups, with the three organisations signing an MoU.

As per the MoU, Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) of Indian Institute of Science(IISc), Cyberverse and Pantherun will identify, incubate and support two to four early-stage cybersecurity startups from early 2026, offering assistance in technical validation, operations, market access, regulatory navigation and access to capital, a press release said.

"This MoU is a significant step toward strengthening India’s cybersecurity capabilities. Cybersecurity is a critical area for the country requiring deep science-based innovation, especially with India confronting evolving cyber threats every day," B Gurumoorthy, Chief Executive of FSID, said.

The agreement was signed by Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar, Chairperson of Cyberverse Foundation, Gurumoorthy, and Srinivas Lakshman Sekhar, Founder and CEO of Pantherun, in the presence of Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Cyberverse Foundation.

According to the press release, the partnership brings together FSID’s incubation ecosystem called STEM Cell and academic access, Cyberverse’s skill development programmes and laboratory infrastructure, and Pantherun’s domain expertise and market reach to build a sustained pipeline of deep-science cybersecurity innovations.

As part of the collaboration, STEM Cell at FSID will provide infrastructure, mentorship, faculty access, industry connections and grant assistance to selected startups, while Cyberverse will design and deliver training modules, provide physical and virtual cybersecurity lab access, and run incubation and accelerator programmes.

Pantherun will scout and evaluate promising cybersecurity and allied-domain startups, extend seed-stage financial support and guide founders on product development and early market access, the release said.

Cyberverse Chairperson Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar said the collaboration would empower young entrepreneurs and researchers while positioning Mysuru as a key hub for cyber innovation and secure digital infrastructure.

Pantherun Founder and CEO Srinivas Lakshman Sekhar said the partnership was a natural extension of the company’s mission, adding that supporting early-stage innovators was “a decisive step toward advancing India’s secure digital infrastructure.” PTI GMS GMS ADB

IISc Foundation, Cyberverse and Pantherun to incubate early-stage cybersecurity startups offering technical, market and funding support. A memorandum of understanding commits FSID's STEM Cell, Cyberverse and Pantherun to identify, incubate and support two to four early-stage cybersecurity startups from early 2026, with FSID providing infrastructure, mentorship, faculty access and grants; Cyberverse supplying training and lab access plus incubation and accelerator programmes; and Pantherun scouting startups, offering seed-stage funding and guiding product development and early market access.