Dimension X Cohort 8

Dimension X Cohort 8 is an open innovation challenge run by Hatch, the innovation centre of Singapore's Home Team Science & Technology Agency (HTX). It offers S$100,000 (about ₹70 lakh) in non-dilutive funding to deep-tech startups, university spin-outs and scale-ups that build a working proof-of-concept for a public safety problem faced by Singapore's Home Team. The open call runs from 12 October to 6 November 2026, so it is open now but closes very soon.

What the program offers

Selected teams receive S$100,000 in non-equity funding to develop and prove their technology over about four months. Hatch pays it in two tranches: 50 per cent after the contract is signed and 50 per cent after the closing report is submitted. The money is meant to cover all proof-of-concept costs and travel, and no extra travel allowance is paid. Teams keep full ownership of their intellectual property, and Hatch takes no equity. Besides funding, teams work directly with the public safety officers who own each challenge, join a cohort Demo Day in front of public safety decision makers and investors, and get advice on moving towards operational trials and deployment afterwards.

Who can apply

Dimension X is open to deep-tech startups, university spin-outs and scale-ups from any country, in any sector or funding stage. Hatch says there are no geographical or company-size requirements. You must own the intellectual property of the technology you propose, or hold a valid licence to use it. The technology should be at roughly Technology Readiness Levels 4 to 7: a working prototype that has not yet been tested in a public safety operating environment. Customising an existing solution for a challenge is fine, but a purely market-ready product with no customisation is not eligible. For an Indian deep-tech startup, this works as an online application with a global field. It suits teams with drones, sensing, autonomy, maritime perception, navigation or imaging technology. It does not suit pure software resellers or teams without a working prototype.

The six challenges in Cohort 8 are: detecting small aerial drones under difficult sensing conditions; countermeasures against drones that do not emit signals; autonomous collision avoidance for small multi-rotor drones; real-time high-speed perception for unmanned surface vessels; vessel positioning where satellite navigation is jammed or spoofed; and high-throughput detection of concealed objects on a person from a distance. There is also an out-of-the-box category for other public safety technologies.

How to apply

Apply through the Apply Now button on the Hatch Dimension X page during the open call. You can select more than one challenge in the form, and your pitch deck should explain your technology and how it fits each one. Do not resubmit; if you need to change something, contact Hatch through its contact form. A practical tip: be ready to show a working prototype, the numbers that prove it, and a clear plan for a four-month proof-of-concept with milestones.

How applications are judged and what happens next

A panel of Hatch staff, Home Team challenge owners and technical experts from HTX evaluates entries on fit to the challenge, novelty of the technology, relevant team experience and business model. The whole selection is online. Shortlisted teams pitch to the challenge owners in two online rounds, then meet the owners one to one, then submit a proposal for final selection. Selected teams sign a contract and attend a one-week in-person onboarding at Hatch in Singapore to scope the project. Development then runs for four months, and the programme ends with on-site tests and a Demo Day in Singapore in July 2027. The page shows two slightly different timelines, so confirm the exact dates with Hatch.

About Hatch and HTX

Hatch is a public safety innovation centre. It is the innovation arm of TechX Ventures, a fully owned subsidiary of HTX, a Singapore government statutory board that serves as the science and technology agency for public safety. Hatch connects global innovators with agencies such as the Home Team.

Things to check before you apply

The deadline is 6 November 2026 at 11:00 PM, and the page does not state a time zone, so apply early. Participants must fly to Singapore twice for one week each, for onboarding and for the Demo Day and on-site tests, and the prize money is meant to cover these trips. Choose a challenge you can truly address, because the challenges are about security and defence-related public safety. Indian companies should also check export-control and tax rules for sending prototypes abroad.