NCPEDP–Mphasis AT Hub

NCPEDP–Mphasis AT Hub

The NCPEDP–Mphasis AT Hub is a landmark initiative by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and Mphasis F1 Foundation, established to catalyse India's assistive technology (AT) ecosystem. It is the country's first dedicated hub focused on incubating, funding, and scaling startups that build devices, software, and services for persons with disabilities.

Background

NCPEDP, founded in 1996, is one of India's foremost disability rights organisations, working at the intersection of policy advocacy, corporate engagement, and social entrepreneurship for the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The Mphasis F1 Foundation is the CSR arm of Mphasis Limited, a global IT solutions company, committed to driving inclusive growth. Together, they launched the AT Hub to address persistent systemic gaps in India's assistive technology landscape — insufficient funding, siloed efforts, low awareness, and limited market access for AT innovators.

What the Hub Does

The AT Hub runs structured grant and incubation programmes for early-stage assistive technology startups. Key programme features include:

• Seed Grants: Up to ₹5 lakh per startup to refine, test, and scale AT solutions. In 2024, 16 startups received seed grants at the Empower 2024 event.
• Capacity Building: Training sessions covering product design, costing, market access, and regulatory pathways.
• Ecosystem Connectivity: Access to a multi-stakeholder network including ALIMCO, Microsoft, STPI, AssisTech Foundation, IIIT-Bangalore, and others.
• Visibility Platforms: Showcase opportunities at national-level policy forums, pitch days, and multi-stakeholder events.

Focus Areas

The Hub supports innovations across the full spectrum of assistive technology:

• Mobility and physical access devices
• Communication and augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) tools
• Visual and hearing impairment solutions
• Cognitive and learning support tools
• Digital accessibility and inclusive tech platforms

Who Should Apply

Early-stage startups, social enterprises, and innovators developing assistive technology products or services for persons with disabilities in India. Applicants with working prototypes or pilot-stage solutions are strongly encouraged. Both hardware and software solutions are considered.

The AT Hub represents a rare combination of CSR-backed funding, institutional backing from a leading disability rights body, and ecosystem infrastructure for AT founders — making it one of the most focused support mechanisms for disability-tech innovation in India.