AI For Livelihoods Hackathon 2026
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Quick Answer
IIMA Ventures hackathon for AI tools that help women entrepreneurs. Winning teams get a ₹5 lakh grant to pilot with SEWA Bharat, PRADAN or Hand in Hand India.
- Funding amount
- Up to ₹5L
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- IIMA Ventures
- Application deadline
- 14d — 19 Nov 2026
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
About this grant
The AI For Livelihoods Hackathon is part of IIMA Ventures' AI Accelerator for Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) program, supported by the Gates Foundation. Challenge makers SEWA Bharat, PRADAN and Hand in Hand India work with technology innovators to co-create practical AI solutions for women entrepreneurs, built for vernacular languages, low literacy and limited digital access.
There are four challenges:
- Business Operations – AI tools that help women entrepreneurs run their business day to day: registration, inventory, quality checks, pricing and costing, cash flow, vernacular business assistance (an AI co-pilot for the entrepreneur).
- Enterprise Productivity – AI for production and inventory planning, demand forecasting, farm and non-farm productivity, packaging and standardisation, and links to institutional buyers or FPOs.
- Growth & Market Access – AI that diagnoses growth needs, finds customers and markets, matches buyers and sellers, and supports digital marketing, quoting and negotiation.
- Finance & Government Schemes – AI that helps women entrepreneurs discover loans, grants and schemes, check eligibility, prepare applications and understand loan terms.
Winning teams receive a ₹5 lakh grant to pilot their solution with the challenge partner, and selected solutions may receive follow-up funding of up to ₹50 lakh to scale. Applications close on 19 November 2026.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
IIMA Ventures is the startup incubator of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad). It was known as IIMA-CIIE, and publicly as CIIE.CO, until it rebranded to IIMA Ventures in 2024. CIIE stands for the Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship, the…
Learn moreThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, commonly known as the Gates Foundation, is the world's largest private charitable foundation. Established in 2000 by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, the foundation is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It focuses on reducing global…
Learn moreBenefits & Funding
- Amount
- Up to ₹5L
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
What You Get
Winning teams receive a ₹5 lakh grant to pilot their solution with the challenge partner (SEWA Bharat, PRADAN or Hand in Hand India), working on real challenges with real users. Selected solutions may receive follow-up funding of up to ₹50 lakh to scale through IIMA Ventures' Women's Economic Empowerment program.
Application Process
- 1
Apply Online
Choose a challenge and submit the online application form before 19 November 2026.
You - 2
- 3
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply?
The program seeks startups developing technology solutions that increase the incomes of low-income women in India. This includes women in marginalized work and enterprise forms such as agriculture, informal labor, and the gig economy.
Do I need a registered company to apply?
No, you do not need to be a registered firm to apply. However, if your application is successful, you will be required to be an entity registered in India before your selection can be confirmed and support initiated.
My startup has participated in other Programs before. Can I still apply?
Yes, applications from startups that have previously participated in other programs are welcome. Applicants are requested to highlight the support they have received from previous programs or accelerators in their application.
Are we expected to move to Ahmedabad (or any other location) for the duration of the Lab?
No, physical relocation to Ahmedabad or any other specific location is not a requirement for the program. While short-duration bootcamps or events may be organized in Ahmedabad or elsewhere, participation in these is the only expected travel, not full-time relocation.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
