MeitY Invites Global Applications for ₹5.85 Crore AI Impact Challenges Ahead of India-AI Summit 2026
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Institutions: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology | NITI Aayog
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has opened applications for three Global Impact Challenges under the upcoming India-AI Impact Summit 2026, with a combined prize pool of ₹ 5.85 crore. These competitions—AI for All, AI by HER, and YUVAi—aim to identify and scale AI-driven solutions with high social and economic impact, while strengthening global collaboration in responsible innovation.
AI for All seeks deployable AI solutions addressing national and global needs across agriculture, climate, education, financial inclusion, healthcare, manufacturing, and mobility. Ten winners will share ₹ 2.5 crore, with mentoring and accelerator access.
AI by HER, organised with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog, targets women-led AI start-ups developing social-impact innovations in sectors such as cybersecurity, education, healthcare, and energy. Ten winning teams will also share ₹ 2.5 crore and receive curated investor engagements.
YUVAi: Global Youth Challenge invites innovators aged 13–21 to design AI solutions for public good, offering prizes worth ₹ 85 lakh, bootcamps, and inclusion in a global showcase.
Applications are open till 31 October 2025 via impact.indiaai.gov.in; winners will be featured at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 (19–20 February 2026, New Delhi).
These challenges advance Digital India 2.0 and the IndiaAI Mission by promoting inclusive, gender-balanced, and youth-driven AI innovation ecosystems, connecting grassroots talent to mentorship, investment, and global exposure.
What is the India-AI Impact Summit 2026? → The India-AI Impact Summit 2026, organised by MeitY and Digital India Corporation, is a flagship global platform to showcase AI research, products, and policy frameworks. It convenes innovators, investors, and governments to accelerate responsible and inclusive AI adoption, aligned with the IndiaAI Mission vision of positioning India as a leading hub for ethical, scalable, and human-centric artificial intelligence.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can India institutionalise such challenge-based innovation models to sustain talent pipelines and translate prototype-stage AI ideas into scalable public-good solutions?
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