# TDB secretary says conflict of interest in startup panel ‘unavoidable’ 2026-08-07T22:05:41+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Technology Development Board (TDB) secretary Rajesh Pathak said conflict of interest in selecting startup funding panels is 'unavoidable' and must be 'managed', after a July 30 parliamentary disclosure revealed that members of a TDB expert panel had financial links to companies they approved for public funds. The government disclosed that companies including Noccarc Robotics, EndureAir Systems, and Ather Energy had received funding from organisations represented on the TDB's Investment Committee or Governing Board. The TDB has approved support for 22 projects involving Rs 2,192 crore under the Centre's Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund. The Ministry of Science and Technology called media reports 'misleading' and said a 'robust' conflict of interest policy exists, including mandatory disclosure and recusal. Pathak said members must leave the room when their companies are discussed, and funding decisions require a super-majority of at least eight of 11 votes. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - thehansindia.com Tags: conflict of interest, DST, RDI Fund, startup funding, Technology Development Board Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/conflict-of-interest-in-startup-funding-panel-unavoidable-tdb-says/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/conflict-of-interest-in-startup-funding-panel-unavoidable-tdb-says/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.