MAM
TiECon UP 2026 spotlights Kanpur as innovation hub
PMO advisor, ministers, VCs and founders converge on 1 March for entrepreneurship summit.
MUMBAI: Kanpur just turned the spotlight on Uttar Pradesh’s startup dreams because when policy, capital and chaiwalas meet, even the leather city starts dreaming in unicorn colours. TiECon UP 2026, the flagship entrepreneurship summit organised by TiE Uttar Pradesh, took place on 1 March 2026 at Hotel Taj Eternity in Kanpur, drawing nearly 20 leading venture capital firms, close to 45 industry leaders, and a packed house of founders, ecosystem players and students from across India and international markets.
The event featured a keynote by prime minister’s office advisor Sudhanshu Trivedi, alongside senior government voices including K. Vijayendra Pandian (Divisional Commissioner, Kanpur), Vijay Kiran Anand (CEO, Invest UP), and Manindra Agrawal (Director, IIT Kanpur). TiE UP leadership president Rao Vikram Singh, TiECon chairman Sanjeev Shriya, and governing council member Atul Kapoor underscored the state’s rising entrepreneurial momentum.
Balaji Wafers founder & CMD Chandu Bhai Virani delivered a candid keynote “Winds of Change in UP”, stressing that sustainable scale comes from operational discipline, strong distribution, long-term execution, and staying grounded in values. “Beyond profits and growth, entrepreneurs must strive to be good human beings, supporting communities, creating opportunities for others, and building businesses rooted in integrity and social responsibility,” he said.
TiECon UP chairman Sanjeev Shriya highlighted the conference’s significance, “The strong presence of policymakers, institutional leaders and leading venture investors on a single platform demonstrates that Uttar Pradesh is increasingly being viewed not merely as a consumption market, but as a serious hub for enterprise creation, manufacturing strength and technology-led innovation.”
The day packed thematic sessions including “Zero to Unicorn – All Unicorns Start from an Idea”, deeptech and defence dialogues, next-generation leadership discussions, curated masterclasses on pitching to VCs, leveraging networks, and AI’s role in value creation. The closing plenary “India @ 2030: Unlocking the Next Wave of Entrepreneurship” brought policymakers and ecosystem leaders together to debate infrastructure, regulatory simplification, and capital flow needed to nurture high-growth enterprises in the state.
In a state racing to become a key contributor to India’s innovation story, TiECon UP 2026 wasn’t just another conference, it was Kanpur declaring its seat at the national startup table, one bold idea and one strong handshake at a time.
Brands
Trump announces $300bn Texas oil refinery with Reliance, calls it the biggest in US history
First new US refinery in 50 years planned at Brownsville port with Reliance
WASHINGTON: The United States may soon see the first brand-new oil refinery built on its soil in half a century.
Donald Trump announced a proposed $300 billion refinery project in Texas, calling it a landmark moment for American energy production and jobs.
Posting on Truth Social on 10 March, Trump said the facility would be built at the Port of Brownsville and developed by a company called America First Refining, with major investment from India’s Reliance Industries.
The announcement frames the project as a centrepiece of the administration’s push for “energy dominance”, with Trump claiming it would deliver thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity to South Texas.
If realised, the plant would mark the first all-new major refinery constructed in the United States since the 1970s. In recent decades, oil companies have largely chosen to expand existing facilities rather than build new ones, citing high costs, regulatory hurdles and environmental scrutiny.
Trump described the proposed investment as the “biggest in US history”, positioning it as proof that policy changes such as streamlined permits and lower taxes are drawing large-scale energy investments back into the country.
The refinery is planned for the Port of Brownsville, a strategic Gulf Coast location that provides easy access to shipping routes and export markets.
A key partner in the project is Reliance Industries, controlled by billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The company already runs the world’s largest refining complex in Jamnagar, India, making it one of the most experienced operators in large-scale petroleum processing.
The Texas venture would mark a significant step for the group into America’s domestic refining sector, potentially strengthening industrial ties between the US and India.
The proposed refinery is being promoted as a next-generation facility capable of processing American shale oil while maintaining high environmental standards. Trump said it would be “the cleanest refinery in the world”, although the specific technologies behind that claim have not yet been detailed.
Industry observers also note that the $300 billion figure is unusually large for a refinery project, and analysts are waiting for more clarity on whether the number reflects total construction costs, long-term infrastructure investment, or broader economic impact estimates.
As of 11 March, Reliance Industries had not publicly confirmed the investment size or the structure of its involvement.
For now, the announcement has sparked equal parts excitement and curiosity in energy markets. If the plan moves from promise to pouring concrete, the refinery could reshape the Gulf Coast energy landscape, and reopen a chapter in American refining that has been quiet for nearly fifty years.
