Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about engaging with TomorrowLAB.
TomorrowLAB is Tata Steel’s startup engagement and open innovation program that connects Tata Steel’s business and technology teams with startups, incubators, academia, venture capital firms, and innovation ecosystem partners to identify, pilot, and scale innovative solutions for industrial challenges.
TomorrowLAB aims to:
- Accelerate innovation through external partnerships
- Solve complex operational and sustainability challenges
- Co-create and validate emerging technologies
- Develop new capabilities in priority technology domains
- Build a pipeline of scalable solutions for Tata Steel operations
TomorrowLAB primarily follows a Venture Clienting Model, where Tata Steel acts as an early customer and pilot partner rather than an equity investor. Startups get the opportunity to validate their solutions in real industrial environments.
The program works with:
- Startups
- Academic incubators
- Corporate incubators
- Venture Capital firms
- Innovation hubs and accelerators
- Government and nodal agencies
- Research institutions
Visit the Thrust Areas and Live Challenges pages for current priorities and open problem statements.
Currently, startups offering mid-high TRL solutions engage under TomorrowLAB with Tata Steel.
Tata Steel may provide:
- Access to industrial testbeds
- Domain expertise
- Operational guidance
- Technical evaluation support
- Funding support for selected pilots
In many cases, yes. Selected startups may receive paid pilot opportunities, subject to project scope and alignment with business requirements.
Successful pilots may lead to:
- Commercial deployment
- Multi-location implementation
- Long-term partnerships
- Strategic collaboration opportunities
- Potential investment opportunities in select cases
Generally, startups retain ownership of their pre-existing IP. Any jointly developed IP is governed through mutually agreed terms established before the pilot begins. Tata Steel respects startup ownership of core technology and establishes transparent IP arrangements before engagement.
TomorrowLAB primarily operates through a Venture Clienting approach. However, Tata Steel may explore strategic investments in select startups when there is strong business alignment and commercialization potential.
Depending on the project, collaborations may involve:
- Paid pilots
- Co-development agreements
- Performance-linked commercial partnerships
- Rental/service-based models
- ESCO (Energy Service Company) models
- Strategic investments (in select cases)