Atal Innovation Award (the state innovation challenge)
A programme by iStart Rajasthan
The state's innovation challenge, where departments put up governance problems and startups propose solutions.
At a glance
| Best for | Startups, innovators, students and technology companies with a solution to a state governance problem |
|---|---|
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
About Atal Innovation Award (the state innovation challenge)
Rajasthan runs an innovation award through iStart to find technology solutions to governance and citizen-facing problems. The competition is described as running at least twice a year, and winners receive grant support. No dates, problem statements or application link were published when we checked, so do not treat it as an open call — the name has also changed on the site, and older pages call it the Rajasthan Innovation Challenge.
What you get
- Grant support for the winning teams, in three prize tiers
- Deployment of the solution with the department that raised the problem
Who can apply
- Startups, innovators, students and technology companies
How selection works: departments share their challenges, or a startup brings its own problem statement on the theme; a jury picks the winners on criteria notified by the government.
How to apply: no route is published. Ask the help desk whether a round is open.
Where to apply
Other iStart Rajasthan programmes
- iStart startup registration and recognitionRecognition as a Rajasthan startup, which is the gate to every other iStart scheme.
- iStart Nest incubation (Techno Hub, Jaipur and the district centres)Free incubation at the state's own centres, led by Techno Hub in Jaipur.
- Virtual Incubation ProgramIncubation delivered remotely so a startup anywhere in Rajasthan can join without moving.
- Funding incentives under the Rajasthan Startup PolicyStaged state support for recognised startups, sized by the startup's QRate band.
- QRateiStart's own startup assessment and rating, which sets the slab of state support a startup qualifies for.
- Business Innovation Programme (BIP)A five-week programme for idea-stage founders and students turning an idea into a venture.
- Atal Innovation Studio and AcceleratorA state-launched platform for AVGC-XR, robotics, coding and agritech, announced but not yet documented in detail.
- iStart School ProgramA free entrepreneurship programme for school and college students in Rajasthan, with Launchpads inside campuses.
- iStart Learning Management SystemA free government learning platform with video courses, assessments and certificates.
- TalentConnectA hiring platform linking students and job seekers to startups, corporates and academia.
- iStart Internship ProgramGovernment-supported internship placements for members of iStart-registered startups.
- iStart SpotlightDistrict-level capacity building for startups, run as training days across the state.
- Covid Relief Seed GrantClosed — a one-time pandemic-era seed grant announced in the 2021-22 state budget and stated to run for one year.