Startup Competitions & Hackathons in India

CII Foundation and Cadence offer ₹10 lakh financial assistance, mentorship, and a field pilot opportunity to market-ready crop residue management startups.

Up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) each for up to 10 private-sector ocean solutions delivered in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand or Viet Nam. Closes 15 November 2026.

The D-Prize Global Competition provides up to US$20,000 to launch new organizations distributing proven poverty solutions in low- and middle-income countries.

Wageningen University challenge for student teams worldwide to design tech-enabled ideas that bring biodiversity back to rural land, with €9,000 in prizes.

Abu Dhabi challenge for a low-cost, drone-deployable seed-carrier to regreen the UAE desert. US$50,000 (about ₹47.5 lakh) prize. Submit a proposal by 19 November 2026.

A flagship initiative by the Government of Telangana challenging startups, innovators, and researchers to solve real-world public-sector problems for potential pilot and deployment opportunities.

Stanford-led challenge for university student teams building sustainability solutions, with a US$35,000+ (about ₹33.25 lakh) prize pool. Phase 1 due 22 November 2026.

A global competition for early-stage AI startups addressing major global challenges, offering a $20,000 grand prize, mentorship, and global exposure.

NSA 6.0 is a flagship initiative by Startup India, DPIIT, recognising and rewarding startups with innovative, scalable, and impactful solutions across 22 categories, offering a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.

A national competition by Startup India for school and college students, awarding cash prizes for innovative prototypes and MVPs across key sectors.

A US$1.5 million (about ₹14.25 crore) environmental prize for food-system projects. Anyone can nominate, including yourself, online and year-round; no country restriction is stated.

A national platform for India's most promising agri startups to showcase scalable, high-impact solutions with grants up to ₹15 lakhs and expert mentorship.

Multi-state programme, powered by Capgemini, giving MVP and growth-stage social-impact innovators deployment chances, mentorship and visibility. No cash grant.

Social Alpha's ISRO-backed lab-to-market platform for SpaceTech startups, with R&D, testing, mentorship, market access and possible seed investment.

NSA 6.0 is a flagship initiative by Startup India, DPIIT, recognising and rewarding startups with innovative, scalable, and impactful solutions across 22 categories, offering a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.

A national competition by Startup India for school and college students, awarding cash prizes for innovative prototypes and MVPs across key sectors.

Multi-state programme, powered by Capgemini, giving MVP and growth-stage social-impact innovators deployment chances, mentorship and visibility. No cash grant.