HCL Group and UpLink Announce 10 Winning Aquapreneurs of Zero Water Waste Challenge

• The Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative is a five-year $15 million investment to drive freshwater sector innovation from HCL, a leading global conglomerate.
• The 10 winning Aquapreneurs were selected from a pool of 192 global applicants
• The winners will receive a financial award from a total pool of 1.9 million CHF in funding to scale their start-ups and deliver freshwater solutions worldwide.
• Witnessed participation from diverse regions, with notable contributions from Africa (16%), Asia (18%), Europe (13%), and other global regions
• Of the winners this year, two are from India, four are from Europe, two from South America and two are from the United States of America.

HCL Group and UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, have together announced the top 10 water-focussed entrepreneurs who will receive a financial award from a total pool of 1.9 million CHF as part of the Zero Water Waste Challenge. HCL Group committed $15 million investment in total to drive freshwater sector innovation for five years until 2027. In less than a year, HCL Group’s commitment saw a 10x return on its investment as the first cohort of ‘Aquapreneurs’ collectively raised $54.5 million after joining the UpLink Innovation Ecosystem.

The Zero Water Waste Challenge is the second out of five innovation challenges, under HCL Group and UpLink’s Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative. The focus of this year’s challenge aimed at capturing and protecting freshwater supply, water reuse and recycling of materials and saving water in agriculture.

Top 10 water-focused entrepreneurs or “Aquapreneurs” were selected from a pool of 192 global applicants. Out of these, most of the applications were from Africa (16%), Asia (18%) and Europe (13%). These Innovators come from eight different countries and are bringing cutting edge innovative solutions in areas such as greywater reuse, rainwater capture, advanced filtration, precision agriculture, and data analytics and AI.

Announcing the winners, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCLTech said, "In light of the current global climate change crisis and increasing scarcity of freshwater resources, the urgent need for innovative solutions to manage our freshwater supplies cannot be overlooked. These innovations reshape our approach to water, optimizing its use and conservation. HCL stands committed to supporting these innovations for a positive global impact. Congratulations to the winners of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative 2024.”

Climate change, pollution and overuse pose a grave threat to the planet’s freshwater supplies”, said Olivier Schwab, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum. “UpLink and HCL are building an innovation ecosystem around early-stage, water-focused entrepreneurs that will provide them with the resources, expertise and vital funding they need to thrive. The solutions created by these 'Aquapreneurs' will play a crucial role in bringing about the transformative change required to shape a sustainable, water-resilient future for all.”

Two of the top 10 innovators were selected to present their solutions at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in 2023:

1. “We are thrilled and humbled to be recognized as a Zero Water Waste challenge winner,” said Karina Peña, CEO and Co-founder of FieldFactors, “joining this cohort will allow us to bring our technology to the global stage, increasing community resilience to the impacts of climate change.” FieldFactors is a water technology start-up providing circular solutions for urban water management and climate adaptation. Specializing in climate change adaptation, the company designs and implements integrated solutions to combat urban flooding, drought, and heat stress, fostering biodiversity with green space.
2. “Being named an Aquapreneur is validation for our vision to eliminate urban water pollution” said Asim R. Bhalerao, CEO of Fluid Analytics, “we look forward to working with HCL and UpLink, World Economic Forum to bring our vision to life globally.” Fluid Analytics Inc. is a water analytics company committed to addressing urban water pollution. With unique mathematical and machine-learning models trained on diverse datasets, Fluid Analytics Inc. has successfully deployed solutions, monitoring over 1.5 billion litres of urban water pollution and enabling the treatment and reuse of 800 million litres daily.

The other entrepreneurs that were awarded prize money from HCL Group and support from UpLink are:

3. Juan Carlos Escobar, CEO and Co-Founder and Rina Martínez, Co-Founder of AQUAKIT SRL, (Bolivia) – A grey water treatment technology that enables the recycling of household greywater for non-potable uses and reduces wastewater emissions.
4. Amira Cheniour, Co-Founder and CEO and Taher Mestiri, Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer of SEABEX SAS (France) – An AI-powered precision irrigation solution that uses a digital twin to help farmers produce more food with less water.
5. Gokul Krishna Govindu, CEO of SmartTerra (India) – An AI-powered analytics software designed to analyse data and reduce water losses in city-scale and built environment networks.
6. Trupti Jain, co-founder of Naireeta Services Private Ltd (India) - A community-based rainwater harvesting technology that filters, injects and stores rainwater for use in dry seasons.
7. Mulundu Sichone, CEO at PYDRO (Germany) – A cost-effective self-powered smart flow meter for water pipes, helping to reduce water leaks, prevent pipe bursts and perform quality checks in real-time and 24/7.
8. Laurence Battaille, CEO and Gregoire de Hemptinne, Co-founder of SHAYP (Belgium) - An IoT-enabled SaaS solution that monitors water consumption in real estate buildings in real-time helping building managers to eliminate leaks and related damages.
9. Greg Newbloom, CEO and founder of Membrion (United States) – A ceramic desalination technology that removes metals, minerals and salts from harsh industrial wastewater - enabling the water to be recycled in a cost-effective and energy efficient manner.
10. Jaime de la Cruz Gonzales, CEO of Kran Nanobubble, (Chile) – A nanobubble technology solution optimizing water efficiency in agriculture, water treatment, and aquaculture.

In addition to the financial reward, winners will receive exclusive access to events, projects, and communities led by the World Economic Forum and partners.

About UpLink

UpLink is the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, designed to unlock an ‘entrepreneur revolution’ for people and planet by supporting start-ups with innovative solutions for the world’s most pressing issues, as outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Launched at the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Annual Meeting in Davos in partnership with Deloitte and Salesforce, UpLink builds bridges between entrepreneurs and the investors, experts and partners who can help scale their ventures. UpLink sources innovations through a competition framework known as innovation challenges. UpLink has now run more than 50 challenges and identified over 450 entrepreneurs with innovative solutions across critical SDG areas including freshwater, health, food, ocean, plastics, education, climate and more.

Uber Partners Startup India and Nasscom AI To Launch ‘Uber Sustainovate’ Startup Challenge

Uber’s push for innovation in sustainable mobility, rolls out ‘Uber Sustainovate’ Startup challenge

• Partners with Start-Up India and nasscom AI to enable innovators
• Calls for entries from startups to create innovative solutions
• Winning team to be awarded a grant of $120,000 (~ Rs 1 crore)

Uber today announced 'Uber Sustainovate’, a Startup Challenge looking for innovative solutions to fast track the adoption of sustainable mobility in India. The competition, in partnership with Startup India and nasscom AI, is designed to award startups that produce the best workable ideas that would help accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility in the country. The winning startup would be awarded a grant of $120,000 (approximately Rs 1 crore), and the top 3 entries would be awarded mentorship sessions with the tech leadership of Uber in India in order to help them sharpen their skills and competencies.

As the leading ridesharing company, Uber is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 and has been continuously working to reduce tailpipe emissions. With the aim to promote an ecosystem where startups are incentivised to work on emergence of sustainable solutions, Uber Sustainovate will provide a platform for visionary startups that are eager to turn their ambition to action.

Commenting on the startup challenge, Manikandan Thangarathnam, Senior Director of Engineering, and Site Lead for Bangalore, Uber said, “We have always believed that the energy transition in the mobility sector can only succeed if industry and technology work together. Startups can be the source of new and path-breaking solutions given the tech talent density that exists in India. Uber Sustainovate is our way to ignite these possibilities as we work together towards building sustainable mobility solutions for India and from India.”

Participating startups would have the option to choose from one of the following four tracks to focus their ideas on:

• Smart infrastructure and charging solutions
• Easy discovery of charging infra - better interoperability
• Making the economics more viable for drivers/commercial fleet owners
• Improving asset utilisation

The startup challenge is open for entries up to 18th October 2023. Registration will be followed by multiple rounds of shortlisting, based on overarching ideas, proof of concept, working prototypes, and overall alignment with Uber’s sustainability mission and values. The winner will be announced in January 2024, after a final jury round.

Startups passionate about driving change in the mobility sector are encouraged to register online through this link. Detailed guidelines and submission requirements will be provided to facilitate seamless participation.

Here're 12 Winning Startups from 9 Indian States at Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue 2022

Twelve start-ups from 9 Indian states emerge winners at Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue 2022

The winning 12 start-ups receive seed funding of up to $5,000 to scale up their innovations.

Twelve top start-ups from across 9 Indian states working in agriculture, ed-tech, women’s livelihood, circular economy, and biodiversity were announced as winners at the 5th Edition of Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue India.

Youth Co:Lab, co-created in 2017 by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth, so that they can accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Youth Co:Lab was launched in India in 2019 in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog. The 2022-23 edition received 378 applications from 28 states across the country.

Dr.Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, AIM; Ms. Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP India; and Ms. Sanjana Sanghi - Actor and UNDP Champion felicitated the winners.

“Social startups are not just businesses; they are catalysts for social change. They address pressing social and environmental challenges, stimulate economic growth, inspire other businesses, leverage technology, and promote collaboration. Their innovative and entrepreneurial spirit drives us towards a more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive future. Let us celebrate and support social startups as they continue to shape our world for the better,” said Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, AIM while announcing the winners. 

Mr. Ashu Khullar Citi India CEO said, “Citi places great emphasis on supporting the aspirations of youth and young entrepreneurs. There has been tremendous innovation and creativity in addressing various social challenges through the Youth Co:Lab. My congratulations to the top 12 finalists working across important fields for the country’s sustainable development.”

Speaking at the event, Ms. Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP India said, “With 254 million young people aged between 15 and 24 years, India has a unique opportunity to lead innovation and social entrepreneurship and make the voices of young people count. I am excited to see the diversity of ideas and frugal innovation the winners bring this year. With Youth Co: Lab, UNDP is happy to provide a platform for young social entrepreneurs to scale their initiatives and recognize, value, and support the solutions they bring.”

The winners across each thematic area received a seed grant of US$ 5,000; while the runners-up received US$ 3,000. This funding will help the winners scale their ideas into tangible products or services.

Felicitating the winners, Ms. Sanjana Sanghi, Actor, and UNDP Champion, added, "I believe that today's young people hold immense power to drive innovation and create meaningful change through social entrepreneurship. Youth Co: Lab offers them a platform to convert their ideas into solutions that transform lives and communities. Youth have the passion, the ideas, and the drive to make a difference in the world.”

Youth Co:Lab India 2022-23 focused on 6 thematic areas; Digital and Financial Literacy for Youth, Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment, Developing FinTech Solutions focused on Biodiversity Conservation, Promoting Biodiversity-friendly Lifestyles through Technological Solutions in Finance, Accelerating Circular Economy through Upcycling Innovations and Behavioural Nudges for LiFE ( Lifestyle For Environment).

Out of the applications, 47 short-listed start-ups received one-on-one mentoring and capacity-building sessions from experts for two months through the Youth Co:Lab Springboard Programme, a start-up support platform for SDG innovators. These start-ups then presented their ideas to an esteemed jury in May 2023, from which the 12 winners were selected.

Since 2017, Youth Co:Lab has supported young aspiring, and inspiring social entrepreneurs in 28 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific. The national dialogues, regional summits, social innovation challenges, and workshops have reached over 240,000 participants. The national youth social innovation and entrepreneurial skills development activities have served over 14,000 young people and launched or improved 1,530 youth-led social innovation teams.

National Innovation Dialogue 2022 Winners:

THEME 1: Digital and Financial Literacy for Youth

1. SaralX- Enhancing access and opportunities for people with disabilities
• Founder Name: Akashdeep Bansal
• Age: 30
• Location: Pune
2. Edubuild - Experinships for youth
• Founder Name: Saksham Gupta
• Age: 27
• Location: Jaipur

THEME 2 - Gender Equality and Women Economic Empowerment

1. Project Baala - Menstrual hygiene for economically marginalized menstruators
• Founder Name: Soumya Dabriwal
• Age: 27
• Location: Mumbai
2. Agrosure - Mechanisation solution for women farmers

• Founder: Akshay Dipak Kawale
• Age: 30
• Location: Maharastra

THEME 3 - Developing FinTech Solutions focused on Biodiversity Conservation

1. Gepo Aali - To nurture back the lost indigenous crop variety of the region using ancestral farming practices.
• Founder Name:Dimum Pertin
• Age: 30
• Location: Arunachal Pradesh
2. Nutty Village - Managing farm to fork organic value chain in groundnuts
• Founder Name: Aman Kumar
• Age: 28
• Location: Uttar Pradesh

THEME 4 - Promoting Biodiversity-friendly Lifestyles through Technological Solutions in Finance

1. Promeat - Plant based meat
• Founder Name: Debabrata Das
• Age: 25
• Location: Assam
2. Myplan 8 - Incentivising spend on low carbon sustainable alternatives

• Founder Name: Rajat Sohan Vishwakarma
• Age: 27
• Location: Mumbai

THEME 5 - Accelerating Circular Economy through Upcycling Innovations

1. Dump in Bin - Using plastic waste in pavement manufacturing
• Founder Name:Rishabh Patel
• Age: 29
• Location: Gurugram
2. Econscious - Functional and aesthetic recycled plastic products
• Founder Name:Sonal_Shukla
• Age: 29
• Location: New Delhi

THEME 6 - Behavioral Nudges for LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) 

1. Digi Swasthya- Telemedicine for rural India
• Founder Name: Sandeep Kumar
• Age: 27
• Location: Uttar Pradesh
2. Sputnik Brain - Non-invasive brain modulation for stress management
• Founder Name: Shankar Sri
• Age: 23
• Location: Banglore

About Atal Innovation Mission (AIM):

AIM including Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation (SETU) is the Government of India’s endeavor to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Its objective is to serve as a platform for promoting world-class innovation hubs, grand challenges, start-up businesses, and other self-employment activities, particularly in technology-driven areas.

About UNDP India:

UNDP has worked in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development, from systems and institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods, as well as sustainable energy, environment, and resilience. UNDP’s programmes fully integrate a global vision for catalytic change with India’s national priorities. With over 30 projects on the ground in almost every state, today, UNDP India works to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by transforming traditional models to do development differently.

About Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyse job opportunities for youth and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfil our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. Learn more at www.citigroup.com/citi/foundation

About Youth Co:Lab:

Co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship. Read more about Youth Co:Lab. 

CASE Mobility Grand Start-up Challenge Finale Held at Hyderabad E- Mobility Week

Startups Pitch Innovative Ideas in Sustainable Mobility Space

With the aim of accelerating innovation in areas of Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric (C.A.S.E.) mobility in India, young entrepreneurs presented their innovative business ideas to the jury at the C.A.S.E. Mobility Grand Start-up Challenge as part of the ongoing Hyderabad E-Mobility Week (5-11 February 2023).

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Govt. of Telangana with jury members and participants at the CASE Mobility Challenge

Founders of seven startups, including two each from the state of Telangana and Karnataka, and one each from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, presented their innovations and business ideas and made strong pitches to the jury at the finals of the challenge.

Speaking at the occasion, Shri Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, and Industries & Commerce Departments, Govt. of Telangana said, “The C.A.S.E Mobility Grand Challenge is an important part of the Hyderabad E-Mobility Week and addresses important aspects of innovation in new-age mobility. Innovation will help fuel the movement to sustainable mobility and I wish all the participants a great journey ahead.”

i-elektrik, which creates smart charging solutions for the emerging EV markets won the Challenge while NeoMotion, an IIT Madras startup that creates transformative electric products for wheelchair users (elderly, physically challenged) to enable them to be an inclusive part of society was adjudged the runner-up. They both will avail a grant of INR 15 lakhs for their projects.

The Challenge saw participation from other startups like Hala Mobility which provides multimodal EV shared mobility platform with two offerings, EV as a service and platform as a service for micro fleet operators; Adiabatic, a social enterprise that provides scalable intelligent Battery Management System technology (BMS) to calculate and predict accurate battery data, reducing temperatures of the battery; Comuti Energy Vayu, a sustainable mobility venture with patented technology of storge of fuel for fuel cell technology, Aatral that develops innovative cathode for Sodium-Ion batteries as an alternate of lithium batteries, and AutoNXt which builds driverless electric tractors and high voltage electric powertrains.

Saurabh Bakliwal, MD & Partner, BCG, one of the juries for the event, said, "The solutions built by the startups in CASE challenge were truly very bold, taking on leading global companies with deep tech solutions. It was really energising to witness the impressive quality of their submissions and be a part of the jury, evaluating and celebrating the brilliance of these entrepreneurs."

Sascha Ricanek, VP, ZF RaceEngineering, Vikram Garga, Group Head, Marketing, Apollo Tyres, Sanjeev P, Head, Micro Mobility, TVS Motor; Mamatha Chamarthi, Head of Software & Business Product Management, Stellantis; and Prof. Rajalashmi, Director TiHan, IIT Hyderabad were other jury members for the event.

Amidst the challenges in adapting green mobility future, Telangana is one of the first states to launch the EV&ESS policy in 2020. Currently, the state is growing to be the biggest hub for technology and innovation by being home to several of the largest global IT players and auto industries.

The C.A.S.E. Mobility Grand Start-up Challenge provided startups an opportunity to share innovative, feasible, and scalable solutions for tangible problems prevalent in urban mobility India with new-age entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors.

The Challenge was organized by the Government of Telangana in association with T-Hub, the world’s largest innovation centre, in association with Telangana Mobility Valley (TMV), India’s first cluster focusing on new and sustainable mobility, and TiHan.

For more information, please visit the event's website at https://www.evhyderabad.in/

UIncept Announces Winners of All India EdTech Startup Challenge and Master Class Series 2021-22

Global EdTech Accelerator, UIncept, today announced the winners of its All India EdTech Challenge and Master Class Series initiative conducted in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The initiative is aimed at nurturing education technology (EdTech) companies and startups at pre and post minimum viable product (MVP) stages, and was designed with support from AWS EdStart, the EdTech startup accelerator from AWS that helps entrepreneurs build the next generation of online learning, analytics, and campus management solutions.

"The response from the EdTech startup ecosystem has been promising," said Manish Gupta, Founder & Chief Mentor, UIncept. “We have seen enthusiastic participation from startups that specialise in artificial intelligence (AI)/ machine learning (ML), video first/ micro-learning first, test preparation, and 21st-century skills. We would like to congratulate all the winners and participants.”

Saurav Raaj, Founder, WIZE, winner of the pre-MVP track said, “It was exciting to be a part of this challenge. The Master Classes provided an immersive experience and a wonderful learning opportunity. Such initiatives are much needed. I am positive this will touch many startups and founders in the future.”

Mayank Arora, founder and CEO, Elite Techno Groups (ETG) and winner of the post-MVP track said, “We are glad to be recognised as the winners of the Master Class Series 2021-2022. The challenge had startups from different sectors, giving us a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders as well as a chance to network with fellow entrepreneurs. The sessions were highly engaging and provided a thorough overview of how to run our organisation, as well as guidance on how to take it to the next level."

The jury for the Demo day comprised of Manish Upadhyay, Advisor & EIR, UIncept, Deepika Sharma, Lead - AWS EdStart, Amazon Internet Services Pvt. Ltd., and Prashant Narang and Nishtha Chaudhary from Agility Ventures. . Jury members for the Pitch day were Minal Shah from Inflection point Ventures, Hardik Dua from SucSeed Innovation Fund, Amir Khan, Territory Business Development (EdTech), Amazon Web Services and Shobana Prakash from 100xvC.

Winners for the pre-MVP track are as follows —

• Winner: WIZE (https://www.wize.ws/), which is solving the problem of managing, tracking and validating education credentials via block chain, won a seed fund of INR 3,00,000 from UIncept, direct entry in the Acceleration Program, and AWS credits.
• 1st Runner Up: PERCEIVED DESIGN ( https://perceived.design/), a plug and play XR online platform to create, share and track training modules, immersive tours and storytelling pedagogy, won direct entry in the Acceleration Program, and AWS credits.
• 2nd Runner Up: UNIKAKSHA ( http://www.unikaksha.com), which provides an online digital education providing platform that enables individuals to upskill themselves and get on to the career path they aspire for, won direct entry into the Acceleration Program and AWS credits.

The winners of the post-MVP track are e as follows —

• Winner: Elite Techno Groups (ETG) (www.elitetechnogroups.com), which is focused on creating an engineering ecosystem around skills needed for the industry, won a seed fund of INR 20,00,000 from UIncept and AWS credits.
• 1st Runner Up: Teachers Help Teachers (http://teachershelpteachers.in/, which helps educators evolve and enhance by learning from other educators and their experiences/expertise, won a seed fund of INR 15,00,000 from UIncept and AWS credits.
• 2nd Runner Up: Ucanji (https://www.ucanji.com/), which offers an online dance learning platform, won AWS credits.

As part of the initiative, representatives from the participating startups had an opportunity to attend a series of Master Classes conducted by industry experts such as Rohit Swarup, Founder Director, Xplora Design Skool & Futurz Xplored, Dr. Poornima Charantimath, Professor Emeritus, Consultant, Mentor, Author of TQM and Entrepreneurship Development, Divya Momaya, Independent Director - MOFSL, ASL, GTPL, MOHFL and Co-Chairperson, IMC, Agam Chaudhary, Chief Mentor, Two99 E-commerce, Ajay Jain, Mentor, Coach & Angel-Investor for start-ups and Founding Partner, Xseed Consulting & IIITH Seed Fund, Vaishnavi Reddy, Founder, OriginUX Studio, Loveleen Gupta, Founder LG Associates, and Ankur Goel, Founder & CEO, Skwerup Capital Partners.

In addition, the six-month-long challenge also included focused sessions on product-market fit, go-to-market strategy, legal, customer discovery, and business fundamentals.

About UIncept Global EdTech Accelerator

UIncept Global EdTech Accelerator is a robust ecosystem of startup stakeholder: Startups, Expert Mentors, Investors, Corporates, School, Colleges, Government, Policy makers etc. www.uincept.com

About Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. AIM is mandated to create an umbrella structure to oversee the innovation ecosystem of the country and revolutionize the innovation ecosystem - touching upon the entire innovation life cycle through various programs like Atal Tinkering Labs, Atal Incubation Centres, Atal Community Innovation Centres, ARISE and Atal New India Challenge. The ‘All India EdTech Challenge & Master Class Series’ would be a step from AIM towards supporting the EdTech Ecosystem.

Govt. Launches Startup Challenge To Solve Urban Water Issues, To Fund Rs.2 Cr To 100 Startups Selected

Today, MoHUA organised an event - "India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Start-up Conclave" - at India Habitat Centre to provide first of its kind networking platform to startups, young innovators, industry partners, incubators and States/cities. During the conclave, startup challenge was launched by Union Minister, HUA on MyGov platform.

With an aim to revamp the country's water management by inviting startups to solve the urban water problems, the government of India has just launched "India WaterPitch-Pilot-Scale Start-up Challenge" under Atal mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). 

Under this challenge, startups will be empowered in the water/ used-water sector to grow through innovation and design that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate employment opportunities. The MoHUA will select 100 startups and each will be provided Rs.20 lakhs as funding support as well as mentorship.

The start-ups providing innovative technological/ business solution in the following areas, are eligible to participate:

1. Fresh water systems
2. Hydro informatics – use of water + data for
3. Used water management
4. Urban Water Management
5. Agricultural Water Management
6. Urban Sewerage Management
7. Water governance
8. Innovation in conventional taps and plumbing systems

Union Minister of MoHUA & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, said, "The Start-ups are the flavor of the season, as the number of Unicorns in the country has jumped, by leaps and bounds. uccess of the Government’s schemes hinges, to a large extent, to the role and contribution of stakeholders and others in the ecosystem. The Stakeholders' responses in water sector are crucial for formulising Government programmes as they know what actually is the need.

The minister said that AMRUT 2.0 is a transformative and unique scheme, with a huge outlay of over Rs 2.77 lakh crore. He said that the scheme will ensure water security in the country, reduce its transportation costs, reduce groundwater contamination, and increase water utilization capacity. He said for the success of the Mission, Start-ups will have to play a meaningful role- by bringing in innovative ideas, Technology, novel delivery mechanism, etc.

AMRUT 2.0, launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 01 October, 2021, envisages identification of innovative, proven and potential environment friendly technologies in the fields of water & used water treatment, distribution and water body rejuvenation.
Through this challenge, MoHUA intends to select 100 start-ups providing workable and scalable solution for urban water problems.

For More information & details, check here

Defence India Startup Challenge 5.0 Launched

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launches Defence India Startup Challenge 5.0

Urges private sector to contribute towards building a self-reliant defence industry; assures all possible support

Key highlights of RM’s address:

• DISC 5.0 is a reflection of Government’s resolve to create a self-reliant defence sector
• The challenge to take innovation, design & development to newer heights
• iDEX playing a crucial role in building a strong military & ‘AatmaNirbhar’ defence industry
• Government support to private sector in building ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’

Today, Defence Minister of India, Shri Rajnath Singh launched Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 5.0 under Innovations for Defence Excellence - Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO) through video conferencing on August 19, 2021. Thirty five Problem Statements – 13 from the Services and 22 from Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) – were unveiled under DISC 5.0. These are in areas such as Situational awareness, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Aircraft-trainer, Non-lethal devices, 5G network, Under-water domain awareness, Drone SWARMS and Data Capturing. The Problem Statements, designed to ensure military advantage in the foreseeable future, are the highest in any edition, so far.

Lauding the efforts of iDEX-DIO, Shri Rajnath Singh, in his address, termed DISC 5.0 as another step towards independence in the defence sector as the launch comes at a time when the country is celebrating ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Stating that DISC 5.0 is a reflection of Government’s resolve of creating an ‘AatmaNirbhar’ defence sector, he exuded confidence that this challenge will move forward from its earlier editions and take innovation, design & development to newer heights. He shed light on the previous four editions of DISC and said that more than 80 startups, MSMEs and individual innovators have joined as winners in over 40 technological areas. He added that modern and futuristic problem statements launched in DISC 5.0 demonstrate the confidence of young entrepreneurs and innovators in DISC.

Apply for iDEX Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 5.0 - https://idex.gov.in/form/application-form-defence-india-d

The Raksha Mantri underlined the importance of creating a strong, modern & well-equipped military and an equally capable & self-reliant defence industry, given the rapidly changing geo-political and security scenario in the world. To realise this vision, he said, iDEX is playing a crucial role by providing a platform wherein the Government, Services, think tanks, industry, startups and innovators can work together to help the defence & aerospace sectors reach full potential.

“Defence India Startup Challenge and Open Challenges provide many opportunities to our youth and entrepreneurs. They give a new direction to defence innovation and capabilities by highlighting the potential of India's science, technology and research”, said Shri Rajnath Singh. He added that iDEX4fauji is a similar initiative that gives an opportunity to the service personnel to showcase their talent in these fields.

Sharing his insights on the broad contours of iDEX, the Raksha Mantri stated that the initiative has succeeded in bridging the gap between talent and demand in the country. “iDEX provides a strong foundation of innovation, R&D to the industry. Initiatives like iDEX form a link between our youth, academia, R&D, start-ups and the Armed Forces,” he added.

Shri Rajnath Singh listed out measures taken by Ministry of Defence to promote innovation, such as including iDEX as a procurement avenue under Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP-2020); earmarking Rs 1,000 crore for domestic procurement through iDEX for financial year 2021-2022 and approving a budget of Rs 498.8 crore for the next five years to support over 300 startups and foster innovation in defence & aerospace sectors.

The Raksha Mantri expressed confidence that iDEX will support five times more start-ups over the next five years as the aim is to accelerate progress, reduce costs and complete procurement in a time bound manner. For this, he said, there is need to adopt the concept of 5 Is (Identify, Incubate, Innovate, Integrate and Indigenise).

Shri Rajnath Singh also referred to a number of initiatives taken by the Government, including steps to increase partnerships with the private sector, technology transfers and restrictions on import of more than 200 items, to promote self-reliance as well as generate employment opportunities. Commending various stakeholders for indigenously developing world-class technologies, he called for identifying and developing new technologies to take forward the vision of ‘Make in India – Make for the World’. He called upon the private sector to come forward and contribute towards building a self-reliant defence sector and assured all possible support of the government.

In his welcome address, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Raj Kumar termed innovation and self-reliance as the two aspects of iDEX. He said India has the third largest startup ecosystem in the world and these startups are not just wealth creators but employment generators. He added that today the nature of warfare is technology-driven and these startups can play a crucial role in developing indigenous defence capabilities, reducing imports and improving exports.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence were present at the launch of DISC 5.0. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Chief of the Army Staff General MM Naravane, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Vice Admiral AK Jain; young innovators and representatives of the industry attended the event virtually.

The launch of DISC 5.0 by iDEX-DIO comes three years after the launch of DISC 1.0. The launch of DISC 5.0 is a massive leap towards leveraging the startup ecosystem to develop India’s defence technologies, equipment design and manufacturing capabilities. It will encourage startups to become more attuned to innovative concepts and inculcate the approach of creative thinking in India’s budding entrepreneurs.

The iDEX initiative was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in April 2018 to achieve self-reliance and foster innovation & technology development in defence and aerospace sectors.

Defence India Startup Challenge-4 Launches for Achieving Self-Reliance in the spirit of AtmaNirbhar Bharat campaign

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launches Defence India Startup Challenge-4; says defence Startup ecosystem is a decisive step towards achieving self-reliance in the spirit of AtmaNirbhar Bharat campaign;

iDEX4Fauji launched for the first time to encourage innovation among soldiers

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched the Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC 4) during the iDEX event, featuring the initiatives aimed at expanding the horizons of Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) ecosystem in New Delhi today. iDEX4Fauji initiative and Product Management Approach (PMA) guidelines were also launched by the Raksha Mantri during the event. Each of these initiatives is expected to facilitate iDEX-DIO to scale up the program qualitatively and quantitatively.

iDEX4Fauji is a first of its kind initiative, launched to support innovations identified by members of the Indian Armed Forces and will bolster frugal innovation ideas from soldiers/ field formations. There are more than 13 Lakh service personnel working in the field and on borders, handling extreme conditions and equipment and would be having many ideas and innovations to improve such equipment. There was no mechanism to support such innovations. iDEX4Fauji would open this window and allow our Faujis to become part of the innovation process and get recognised and rewarded. Services Headquarters will provide support to the soldiers & field formations all over the country to ensure maximum participation.

Speaking on the occasion, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh said that the iDEX initiative stands out as one of the most effective and well-executed defence Startupecosystem created in our country and it would be a decisive step towards achieving self-reliance in the spirit of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat campaign. Shri Rajnath Singh said, for the first time, an atmosphere has been created in the country when different stakeholders have been brought together to push for innovations in the defence sector. “In order to further strengthen our defence system and make it self- reliant the participation of private sector is also crucial. For this we have taken certain steps like partnerships with private sector, technology transfer, 74 % FDI through automatic route and the recently released negative list of 101 items for import ban after a stipulated period.” Raksha Mantri also said that only yesterday the government launched Defence Acquisition procedure 2020 which seeks to encourage the private industry to participate in the defence sector. Raksha Mantri also exhorted the Armed Forces to “make full use of the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) platform to meet their technological requirements and the Indian Startups to use this opportunity to become an integral part of our Defence enablers.”

The event was addressed among others by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Secretary, Department of Defence Production Shri Rajkumar.

Under Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 4, eleven challenges from Armed forces, OFB&DPSUs were thrown open to prospective startups, innovators, MSMEs alike to provide their innovative ideas on technologies which find their application in the defence sector. The challenges are as follows:

• Autonomous Underwater Swarm Drones
• Predictive, Preventive & Prescriptive Machine Monitoring 
• Super Resolution for Improving Spatial Resolution 
• AI based Satellite Image Analysis 
• Prediction and forecasting of atmospheric visibility 
• Computer Generated Targets for Virtual Training 
• Remote Real Time In-Flight Health Monitoring of Aircrew 
• MF-TDMA based Wideband SATCOM Modem 
• Foliage Penetration Radar 
• Reduction of RCS of Naval Warships 
• Target Detection in Chaff Environment 

In order to develop a 'right product and the product right', DIO has adopted the Product Management Approach to steer the prototype development to a market ready product. These guidelines are first of their kind and their release by Raksha Mantri is intended to monitor product development milestones achieved by iDEX winners against the requirements set by the Services/ DPSUs/ OFB.

The iDEX initiative of the Department of Defence Production was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in April 2018 with the objective to encourage and nurture innovations in the Indian Defence sector and create an ecosystem where Startups, MSMEs and individual innovators could interact easily with the Indian defence establishment and provide the latest technological innovations for specific challenges experienced in operational environments through co-development and co-production of innovative solutions. The iDEX initiatives are executed by Defence Innovation Organisation, a Section 8 company of DPSUs BEL and HAL.

DIO has evolved and expanded the magnitude of its activities since inception in 2018:

 

1. iDEX-DIO has launched three rounds of Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) with 18 problem statements from Armed Forces, DPSUs&OFB and identified 55+ start-ups/ individuals to receive innovation grants in technological areas through the Prototype funding guidelines called “Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart” (SPARK), which entail provisioning of grants upto Rs 1.5 crore to the Startups on the basis of milestones through multiple tranches, for prototype development.
2. DIO has entered into strategic partnership with leading incubators of the country and undergone international collaborations especially with Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in US. 
3. For efficaciously taking forward the activities, DIO is hiring manpower, doing outreach, launched own website (www.idex.gov.in) & portal, launched 2 cycles of open challenge for supporting suo-moto innovations, SPARK II guidelines and an internship program etc. along with promulgating elaborate guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures. 
4. DDP has 9 Defence PSUs as pillars of defence production in the country and iDEX has enabled capacity building in DPSUs by seeding a culture of innovation and Research and Development. 
5. The iDEX event successfully brought together the iDEX stakeholders on a single platform i.e. Ministry of Defence (MoD), iDEX selected startups, partner incubators, Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), nodal agencies (Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force), NITI Aayog, DRDO, DPSUs, OFB, think tanks, private industry and Industry associations. More than 500 startups and innovators participated in the event through video conference.

Apply Here - https://idex.gov.in/apply_challenge.php

Start-up Challenge Contest 'Chunauti' Launched by IT Minister to Identify 300 Startups and Seed Fund of upto ₹25 Lakh

• IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Launches “Chunauti”- Next Generation Start-up Challenge Contest
• The programme aims to identify around 300 startups working in identified areas and provide them seed fund of upto Rs. 25 Lakh and other facilities
• Lays Foundation of IT Capacity Building Center of NIELIT in Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
• Shri Prasad urged the young, talented innovators of India to come forward and avail benefits of Chunauti challenge and create new software products and apps

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad today launched “Chunauti”- Next Generation Startup Challenge Contest to further boost startups and software products with special focus on Tier-II towns of India. The government has earmarked a budget of Rs. 95.03 Crore over a period of three years for this programme. It aims to identify around 300 startups working in identified areas and provide them seed fund of upto Rs. 25 Lakh and other facilities.

Under this challenge the Ministry of Electronics and IT will invite startups in the following areas of work:

1. Edu-Tech, Agri-Tech & Fin-Tech Solutions for masses
2. Supply Chain, Logistics & Transportation Management
3. Infrastructure & Remote monitoring
4. Medical Healthcare, Diagnostic, Preventive & Psychological Care
5. Jobs & Skilling, Linguistic tools & technologies

The startups selected through Chunauti will be provided various support from the Government through Software Technology Parks of India centers across India. They will get incubation facilities, mentorship, security testing facilities, access to venture capitalist funding, industry connect as well as advisories in legal, Human Resource (HR), IPR and Patent matters. Besides seed fund of upto Rs. 25 Lakh, the startups will also be provided cloud credits from leading cloud service providers. Start-ups who are in the ideation stage may be selected under the pre-incubation programme & mentored for up-to six months to evolve their business plan & solution around the proposed idea. Each intern (start-up under pre-incubation) will be paid Rs. 10,000/- per month upto a period of 6 months.

 Startups can apply by visiting the website of STPI or by clicking at the link https://innovate.stpinext.in/

Union Minister also laid foundation stone of the digital training and skilling center of National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) at Muzaffarpur in Bihar. This center will be developed by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India at a cost of Rs. 9.17 Crore. The government of Bihar has allocated one acre of land for this institution. This center will be equipped with the state of the art training facility with a digital laboratory. Different courses such as O level, CCC, BCC, Programming and multimedia training will be offered from this center.

Speaking at a virtual event in presence of Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “I urge the young, talented innovators of India to come forward and avail benefits of Chunauti challenge of Government and create new software products and app. This launch is a bold initiative under the clarion call for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.

Govt throws Challenge to Startups for Alternative to Single-use Plastic

The government has launched a challenge for startups to develop an alternative for single-use plastic. The first winner will receive a cash price of Rs 3 lakh for each problem statement, while the second winner will get Rs 2 lakh.

"The target of the single-use plastic grand challenge is to incentivise innovators and startups to develop design solutions," the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) said.

Dubbed as "Single Use Plastic International Grand Challenge", the startup challenge is open to all startups across the globe having Minimum Viable Product (MVP) along with Proof of Concept (PoC).

The target of the single use plastic Grand Challenge is to incentivise innovators and Startups to develop design solutions. The solutions must also have the same or greater functionality as the products they are designed to replace and must be designed with current production methods in mind. The theme will focus on the entire value chain.

Single-use plastics, often also referred to as disposable plastics, are commonly used for plastic packaging and include items intended to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled.

An interim jury of experts will review the eligible applications and shortlist the best entries on the basis of an evaluation criteria as set by the DPIIT. The result will be announced on October 31.

Plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles and most food packaging are single-use plastic.

Last for entries is 22 OCT, 2019 and can be applied here

~ With Inputs from PTI

Mysuru-based VyavaSahaaya, Bayer CropScience throws Tech Challenge for Startups, Engg. Students

Over the past one year, there has been a rising incidence of fall armyworm (FAW) in corn crops across Africa and South America. This deadly pest can cause drastic damage to corn crops and can reduce yields by up to 40%. Such damage can be highly devastating for smallholder farmers as it directly impacts their crop yields and farm incomes and stunts their livelihood.

In India, the fall armyworm was first reported in July 2018 in Karnataka. Within a year, the pest has spread on an epidemic scale in more than ten corn-producing states of India. Farmers need timely, effective and innovative measures to control and eradicate FAW.

VyavaSahaaya, a Mysuru-based Agri-food open innovation platform, has announced a technology challenge to combat FAW in corn, in collaboration with Bayer CropScience Limited, a leading player in Crop Protection.

VyavaSahaayaa is a product of Aasalabs Technology Private Limited, which is a startup incubated at Deshpande Foundation’s Hubballi Sandbox. The Agri-Food Open Innovation platform enables problem owners such as foundations, corporates, research bodies to propose business, technology and social challenges that are complex or novel or have no established best practice approach and problem solvers to design actionable solutions.

The challenge is open till June 16, 2019, to start-ups and students of engineering colleges. Teams of two to five members are invited to develop digital tools that can offer timely and context-specific information to enable farmers to track, spot and treat the FAW pest in their cornfields. For more details about the technology challenge, please visit vyavasahaaya.com

The top two entries will win funding to cover the cost of development of their digital tool/solution. Bayer CropScience Limited will also partner with one of the winners to commercialize the digital solution across key corn-producing states of India.

~ Business Wire India

'Start-up India' Launches Challenge for Startups in Air, Water & Waste Management Sectors

Government of India, under its flagship 'Start-up India' initiative, has launched Swachch Bharat Grand Challenge to award innovative solutions from startups in the sectors of Sanitation, Waste Management, Water Treatment and Air Purification.

Observed by Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), under the aegis of the Swachchta Pakhwada fortnight (of Swachh Bharat Mission), the challenge is open to all DIPP Recognized Startups working in 4 focus sectors -- Sanitation, Air Management, Waste Management, and Water & Waste water Management are invited to apply for the challenge till 10th November. Results will be announced on 15 November.

An evaluation committee will review the details filled in by the startups and would select top startups basis novelty of their solutions, scalability and impact potential. The top two chosen startups in each sector will be awarded cash prizes and certificates of excellence .

Cash prizes of total INR 12 Lakh will be awarded that include cash prizes for top two startups in each of the 4 below mentioned sectors.

Focus Sectors -

1. Sanitation: Startups that focus on maintaining sanitation at public places by providing solutions to simple sanitation problems like open defecation, availability of toilets, etc. Solutions & systems for developing/improving access to sanitation in rural and urban areas




2. > Waste Management: Startups focused on management of waste across the value chain including collection, disposal, processing and recycling into various forms




3. > Water and Wastewater Management: Startups focused on managing water and wastewater resources including - developing systems for treatment of wastewater; generation, filtration, and purification systems to provide access to safe drinking water; and Smart Water Management solutions to manage water resources




4. > Air Management: Startups involved in monitoring, controlling air pollution and/or purifying air.

To Apply Visit - Swachch Bharat Grand Program

Are you a Startup working in the space of Waste Management? Apply Now at https://t.co/Ews8judCn0 to participate in the Swachch Bharat Grand Program and win exciting cash prizes! pic.twitter.com/200IxSvOu8

— Startup India (@startupindia) November 3, 2018

WhatsApp Announces Startup Challenge to Invest $0.5 Mn in Indian Startups

Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has announced its partnership with India's official investment promotion agency, Invest India, to launch 'WhatsApp Startup Challenge' to help the growth of startups and SMBs in India. The program will focus on the proliferation of startups, promoting economic growth and generating employment opportunities in India, announced Ministry of Commerce & Industry, today.

According to Startup India, this is one of the largest partnerships Invest India has made till date.

WhatsApp will invest quarter of a million dollars ($250,000) as seed funding to the top 5 winners of the 'WhatsApp Startup Challenge' and an additional $250,000 will be directed to a select few from the entrepreneurial community to promote their WhatsApp business number on Facebook and drive discovery of their businesses. This way customers will be able to find the business and start talking to them on that WhatsApp number.Invest India is also working with WhatsApp to drive awareness about its business tools in around 15 states impacting over 60,000 businesses in the coming months through tools such as Startup India 'Yatra' program and other in-person training events.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Chris Daniels, Vice President, WhatsApp said that India has a great ecosystem of startups which are making huge impact in all sectors of the Indian economy. Mr. Daniels further said that small and medium businesses are the back bone of India’s economy, employing 100 million people and contributing to a 3rd India’s GDP. WhatsApp cares deeply about helping businesses connect with customers and grow. The more opportunities that are given the more startups will become engines of India’s economic growth.

India's Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, who were also present in the launch, said that WhatsApp is a startup that has grown into a community and is an example of how an idea can grow to become an integral part of our day to day life. The Minister went on to say that Indian startups in order to be successful have to learn to convert an idea into a business plan. He further said that the Startup community is the future of India and will be the platform through which the millions of youth of this country will be gain fully employed.

Launched on 16th January 2016 by the Prime Minister of India, Startup India, set-up under Invest India, is a flagship initiative of the Government of India and is intended to build a strong eco-system for nurturing innovation & Startups in the country that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.

In the last 2 years at the Startup India programme, there are over 13,000 startups registered with Startup India program that spread across 448 districts covering all 29 States and 6 Union Territories.

Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ramesh Abhishek and CEO & MD of Invest India, Deepak Bagla, were also present on the occasion.

S Korea Invites Indian Tech Startups for Global Competition

Indian tech startups have an opportunity to showcase their talent on an international level as the South Korea government is currently inviting tech startups from all around the world to take part in K-Startup Grand Challenge 2017.

A global competition for tech startups backed by the Korean government, the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2017 will provide talented tech startups from any part of the world to lock in business agreements with Korean companies and giants.

According to the website dedicated to the challenge, one of the key purposes of this event is to promote vigorous collaborations and exchange of ideas between domestic (Korean) and foreign startups.

The winners of the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2017 will walk away with an opportunity to participate in a government-backed accelerator programme in Korea.

According to a statement given by Lee Kyung-hwan, Executive Director of India-Korea SW Cooperation Centre to Business Line, winning the challenge will open up great business opportunities for startups as it will help them in closely exploring the Korean market. And, it will also give them a foothold to enter the giant, ever-growing Asian market. Considering the fact that Asia is currently one of the most valuable market for startups; holding over half the world’s population and home to a diverse startup ecosystem, this could prove to be a golden opportunity for the startups.

As per plan, 50 startups will walk away with a whopping $12,000 prize for living expenses over their four-month stay in South Korea. Of these 50, the selected 25 will be given a grant of $27,000 each at the Demo Day.

For people wondering why South Korea. Here's why!

South Korea is considered as one of the most connected country in the world as not only is 95 per cent of the country said to be covered by Wi-FI but it also has the fastest average internet connection all around the globe. Finally, it is home to some of the world’s largest companies. Remember, Samsung?

Startups that have been established within the past 5 years and have a prototype or product/service, and are at initial investment stage, are eligible to apply for the Challenge. Interested startups can submit their applications till June 14.