HYSEA Annual Summit 2026 Brings Tech Leaders and Startups

HYSEA (Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association) hosted the 33rd edition of the HYSEA Annual Summit & Awards 2026 today at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), bringing together over 1,200 technology leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, analysts, investors, and startup founders to discuss the next phase of global technology transformation driven by artificial intelligence and intelligent software systems.

Organised in partnership with STPI Hyderabad and the ITE&C Department, Government of Telangana, the Summit examined how AI driven systems, intelligent software, and deep technologies are reshaping enterprises, products, and talent models across industries.

The event was graced by Sri. G. Kishan Reddy, Hon’ble Union Minister for Coal and Mines , along with several distinguished leaders from industry and academia.

Prominent speakers at the Summit included: Ganesh Ramamoorthy, Managing Vice President, Gartner; Rajesh Varrier, President – Global Operations & CMD, Cognizant India; Dr. Krishna Ella, Founder & Executive Chairman, Bharat Biotech; Rajesh Dhuddu, Emerging Tech Partner, PwC India; Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, Chairman & Founder, Ananth Technologies; Ashutosh Sharma, Research Director, Forrester; Akshay Khanna, Managing Partner, Avasant; Sailaja Josyula, SVP and GCC Line Leader, among many other industry leaders.

As part of the Summit, HYSEA unveiled its Coffee Table Book titled Making IT Happen, developed in collaboration with The Times of India, which chronicles the journey of Hyderabad’s IT industry and the ecosystem that enabled the city’s rise as a global technology destination.

HYSEA also released the refreshed second edition of the HYSEA Scale@Hyderabad – Global Technology Destination Report, developed in partnership with the Government of Telangana, KPMG in India, CBRE, and Aon. The report provides updated insights into Hyderabad’s continued growth as a global technology hub and highlights the factors driving the city’s momentum.

HYSEA also presented a knowledge report in collaboration with PwC titled “How IT & GCC Organisations in Telangana are Advancing the Global AI Edge.” The report captures perspectives from industry leaders on how organisations in the state are adopting artificial intelligence to strengthen competitiveness, drive innovation, and build globally relevant capabilities.

Speaking at the Summit, Mr. Prashanth Nandella, President, HYSEA, said Hyderabad’s technology journey has been defined by its ability to adapt and lead through successive waves of change.

“As intelligence becomes embedded across systems, products, and enterprise operations, Hyderabad is well positioned to play a larger role in the next phase of global technology innovation. HYSEA continues to focus on strengthening the ecosystem through member engagement, thought leadership, talent development, and policy advocacy in collaboration with the Government. The future of jobs in the technology industry will increasingly lie at the intersection of deep domain expertise and advanced technology capabilities,” he said.

The Summit featured keynote sessions, panel discussions, analyst insights, practitioner talks, AI masterclasses, and a Startup & Product Expo showcasing emerging technology solutions.

Key discussions at the Summit explored themes such as deep tech adoption in enterprises, the evolving role of Global Capability Centres, talent transformation in the age of AI, cybersecurity in an agent driven technology landscape, and the future of software and SaaS platforms.

A fireside conversation between Prashanth Nandella, President, HYSEA, and Rajesh Varrier, President – Global Operations & CMD, Cognizant India, examined how enterprises are translating rapid advances in AI into measurable business outcomes and how Global Capability Centres are evolving into engines of engineering and innovation.

Ahead of the Summit, HYSEA also hosted a CXO research roundtable on “Lab to Market: Making Hyderabad India’s Deeptech Capital,” bringing together leaders from industry and academia to explore ways to strengthen research commercialisation and accelerate deep technology innovation.

During the evening ceremony, HYSEA Industry Awards were presented to companies for excellence in exports, business growth, employment generation, and women workforce advancement.

HYSEA also presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Srinivasa Raju Chintalapati (Srini Raju), Chairman, iLABS Group, recognising his contributions to entrepreneurship, venture investment, and the development of India’s innovation ecosystem.

The HYSEA 10X Product Awards, one of the country’s largest startup recognition platforms, saw strong participation this year. From 294 nominations (272 startups and 32 established companies), a jury of over 50 industry experts shortlisted 40 finalists, who showcased their solutions at the Summit Expo. The startup cohort reflected growing maturity, with 36% having raised institutional funding and 12% crossing USD 1 million in ARR, along with a strong presence of B2B and enterprise technology startups.