Cactus Communications (CACTUS), a leading technology company providing AI and expert solutions for the scholarly publishing ecosystem, announces its participation as an Industry Partner at the India Science Festival (ISF) 2026, the flagship annual event of the Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology (FAST India). The event will be held at IISER Pune from 10 to 11 January 2026.
ISF 2026 will bring together researchers, academic leaders, policymakers, industry experts, and students from across the country, creating a national stage to exchange ideas on the future of science, research, and public engagement in India. Through its participation, CACTUS aims to contribute meaningfully to these conversations by sharing perspective on responsible innovation, research integrity, and the evolving relationship between science, society and policy.
The partnership reflects CACTUS’ long-standing commitment to strengthening India’s science and technology ecosystem, including its continued support through the sponsorship of a fellowship grant for over two years. Through this engagement, CACTUS aligns closely with FAST India’s mission to advance research and policy engagement, institutional capacity building, government collaboration, corporate participation, and science communication across the country.
During the two-day event, CACTUS will engage participants through an experiential booth, an expert talk, and two panel discussions.
- A CACTUS representative will deliver an expert talk titled Ctrl + Alt + Ethics: Navigating AI Without Losing Your Way for audiences ranging from school students to doctoral researchers, focusing on responsible technology use in academic and scientific contexts.
- The first panel discussion Good Data, Great Stories: Bringing research to public understanding will explore how scientific research can be communicated more effectively to broader audiences.
- The second panel discussion, centered on book fellowship, will highlight the role of non-fiction science literature in strengthening public understanding of research.
Commenting on the collaboration, Akhilesh Ayer, CEO, Cactus Communications, said, “India’s research and innovation landscape is rapidly expanding. Forums such as the India Science Festival bring together academia, policymakers, and industry to engage in critical discussions that shape the future of science. Our partnership with ISF reflects CACTUS’ unwavering commitment to supporting the growth of Indian science by promoting responsible and ethical use of AI in research.”
Siddharth Bhatia, Chief Growth Officer, Institutional Sales (West), Cactus Communications, added, “Our engagement at ISF 2026 goes beyond event participation. It reflects our intent to build long-term, meaningful collaboration with universities and research ecosystems across India, and to shape the next phase of science. By engaging in discussions on ethics, communication, and research impact, we aim to contribute to a more responsible, inclusive, and globally connected research ecosystem.”
Over the years, CACTUS has worked closely with academic institutions, publishers, societies, and national bodies in India and globally to support researchers across the research cycle. Through its participation as an Industry Partner at ISF 2026, CACTUS continues to invest in initiatives that strengthen scientific capacity, encourage responsible research practices, and amplify global visibility of Indian research.
