An alumnus of the National Dairy Research Institute (1981) and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad (1984), Shri Harkesh Mittal has been instrumental in giving a new vibrancy to promoting innovation, start-ups and entrepreneurial acumen among a wide section of Indian entrepreneurs ranging from simple grass-root industries to high end deep-tech enterprises for nearly four decades. He was responsible for the conceptualisation and implementation of many innovation and entrepreneurship programmes including a flagship programme on innovation titled “National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations” (NIDHI).  He continues to be a key figure in the promotion of innovations & start-ups in India and his services are used by many Governments in evolving and evaluating programmes on innovation and entrepreneurship. He has also represented India at various international forums on innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Shri Mittal has been instrumental in involving the private sector – both national and international – in the task of innovation and entrepreneurship development in India. He engaged with organizations like Intel, Lockheed Martin, Texas Instruments, Air Bus Industries, Boeing, P&G, The Economic Times, Tata Trusts etc., bringing world class innovation and technology commercialization knowledge to India and raising matching financial contributions from these organizations for various public private partnership programs He is on various high-level committees of the Government of India related to Innovation and & Entrepreneurship, Seed Funds, VC Funds  and provides advisory services to many institutions and industries. He was instrumental in getting new and innovative policy measures introduced for innovation and entrepreneurship. He is currently the Chairman of Start-up India Seed Fund Committee of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.  He has also worked with international developmental organisations like UNDP, World Bank, UNIDO for promotion of MSMEs. He serves on the Boards of several institutions and industries. 

In 2017, he was conferred  the Best Mentor Award by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. Of India. Mr. Mittal has this rare experience of understanding the Government system and at the same time engaging the private sector in to the agenda of Nation building.