NCPEDP–Mphasis AT Hub

How the programme has worked so far

The only documented round of the AT Hub is the pitch day held at its October 2024 launch, so these notes describe that process rather than a standing, always-open application.

• Startups pitched their products directly to an expert jury at an in-person event.
• Selection was competitive: 25 startups pitched and 16 were selected for the seed grant.
• Startups not selected were still offered mentoring support rather than turned away.

What to have ready

• A working or near-working assistive-technology product or service for persons with disabilities, since the Hub frames its grant as help to take a product "to the next level" rather than fund a bare idea.
• Clarity on your product design, costing and route to market — these are the areas the Hub explicitly trains selected and shortlisted startups on.

How to reach the Hub

For partnerships, collaborations or questions about the programme, contact athub@ncpedp.org.

The NCPEDP-Mphasis Assistive Technology Hub Project is a grant and mentoring programme for assistive-technology startups in India, run by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) together with Mphasis F1 Foundation. NCPEDP is a cross-disability non-profit organisation headquartered in New Delhi that works on employment, education, accessibility and policy for persons with disabilities.

What they support

The AT Hub backs startups building assistive technology across the full range of disability needs: mobility and physical access devices, communication and augmentative/alternative communication tools, solutions for visual and hearing impairment, cognitive and learning support tools, and digital accessibility. The programme frames its work around five areas: startup support (seed funding, mentorship and training), building a network of physical hubs, working on policy and quality standards for assistive-technology products, running awareness campaigns, and partnering with Disabled People's Organisations and industry to widen access to products such as wheelchairs, hearing aids and crutches.

The seed grant programme

The Hub's startup support runs as a seed grant. Startups pitch their products to an expert jury, and selected teams receive a one-time seed grant along with mentorship and training in product design, costing, market access and regulatory pathways. Teams that are not selected are still offered mentoring support to strengthen their business model and technical development. The Hub also gives selected and shortlisted startups visibility through pitch days and national policy forums, and connects them to a wider network of assistive-technology stakeholders.

Track record

The AT Hub was officially launched on 17 October 2024 at EMPOWER, an event held at the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) in Trivandrum, Kerala. At the launch, 25 startups pitched their innovations to the jury, and 16 were selected for the seed grant; the rest received mentoring instead. NCPEDP's programme page separately lists 17 startups under "startups supported" — one more than the 16 the launch narrative describes as selected, so treat that list as the fuller set of startups the Hub has engaged rather than a confirmed count of grant recipients. The named startups include TrueAssist Technology, Able Company (Beyond Barrier), AI.gnosis, Ksham Innovation, Multifly Lifestyle, Panoculon Labs, Dextroware Devices, IwayPlus, SignSetu, Thryv Rehab Solutions, Phonologix Health Solutions, Cognitii (Neurodiverge Labs), UDot Braille Tech, Grailmaker Innovations, UpliftiQ, Wheel Ease Solutions and Kaiteki Innovations.

Who runs it

The AT Hub is one of several current programmes run by NCPEDP, alongside a leadership fellowship for youth with disabilities and other rights and awareness projects. NCPEDP's Executive Director is Arman Ali, a disability rights activist. Its trustees include Pradeep Gupta, Chairperson and MD of CyberMedia Group; Shilpi Kapoor, founder of BarrierBreak; and Dr. Arvind Gupta, Head and Co-Founder of Digital India Foundation. Mphasis F1 Foundation co-funds and co-brands the AT Hub alongside NCPEDP.

Location

NCPEDP's office is in RK Puram, New Delhi. The AT Hub itself does not list a separate address; its launch event was held at NISH in Trivandrum, Kerala, and the programme describes plans to build a wider network of physical hubs rather than operating from a single site today.