Uncovering the Roadblocks: Why Deep-Tech Startups Struggle to Rise in India Compared to China

– India’s start-up ecosystem is the world’s third largest by volume yet remains weak in deep-technology ventures, whereas China dominates frontier sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and advanced batteries. This study identifies ecosystem factors that constrain Indian deep-tech growth and compares stakeholder perceptions with China. A cross-sectional survey of founders, investors and incubator managers (n = 44) captured responses to 24 Likert statements covering Ecosystem & Infrastructure, Funding & Investment, Talent & Education, Mind-set & Strategy and Policy & Support, plus a comparative block. Mean scores (1–5) reveal neutral-to-negative views of infrastructure (2.96), talent (2.86) and policy (2.92) but cautious optimism regarding funding (3.14) and founder ambition (3.21). The highest rating (3.60) confirms consensus that China currently leads. Open-ended comments highlight three recurring obstacles: limited access to advanced laboratories, seed-to-Series-A funding gaps and brain drain of skilled engineers. Results support the hypothesis that deficits in infrastructure, patient capital, specialist talent and tailored policy frameworks hinder India’s deep-tech rise. Recommended actions include raising public R&D to 1.5 % GDP, creating a DARPA-style mission directorate and expanding PhD-to-start-up fellowships to unlock India’s latent STEM potential.