Built with the Government of India
The challenge runs with Startup India, Government of India. It is a national platform for founders, not a company contest.
Grand Startup Challenge
A four-month startup challenge for early-stage startups building across lending and fintech, mobility and road safety, logistics and supply chain, and sovereign AI.
Grand finaleJanuary 2027New Delhi
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brought to you by
- With DPIIT and Startup India, Government of India
- ₹1 Cr prize pool
- 4 problem tracks
- Funding opportunities
- Mentorship support
- 12 winning startups
The Grand Startup Challenge, run with Startup India and the Startup Policy Forum, puts early-stage startups on real problems, with real deployment, capital, mentorship, investor visibility and national recognition.
Why this challenge
Hosted by a company born in the startup boom
Cars24 was founded in 2015, the year Startup India began, and scaled with the help of founders and investors. This is that support, passed on.
For the next generation of Indian founders
Real problems, real data, ₹1 crore in prize money and a national stage, open to early-stage startups building for India’s next decade.
Open a brief to see the problem space, the opportunity and the kind of startup we want to meet.
Track 1 · Fintech
Lending & Fintech
Better credit, underwriting and fraud checks for India’s fast growing base of borrowers.
explore the brief ↘
Track 2 · Mobility
Mobility & Road Safety
Vehicle health, driver risk and safety systems made for Indian road conditions.
explore the brief ↘
Track 3 · Logistics
Logistics & Supply Chain
Route, load and hub optimisation across a live fleet and distributed network.
explore the brief ↘
Track 4 · Sovereign AI
Sovereign AI
Practical, trusted intelligence for the systems that power a more self-reliant India.
explore the brief ↘What startups get
Admit one · Prize₹1 CrPass 1 of 6
Grand Startup Challenge 2027
₹1 crore prize pool
One pool, shared among twelve winners: the top three startups in each of the four tracks.
Every startup that makes the shortlist also signs up for all of this.
Admit one · DataLivePass 2 of 6
Grand Startup Challenge 2027
Real problems, real data
Live problem statements drawn from real operations, with real data behind them.
Admit one · Mentor1:1Pass 3 of 6
Grand Startup Challenge 2027
A month with mentors
Shortlisted startups spend December refining their solution with an assigned mentor.
Admit one · LaunchDeployPass 4 of 6
Grand Startup Challenge 2027
A chance at real deployment
Solutions are built for the context where the problem actually lives, not for a demo day.
Admit one · LoungeNetworkPass 5 of 6
Grand Startup Challenge 2027
Investors in the room
Closed-door, invite-only one-on-one sessions with potential investors in the investor lounge.
Admit one · FinalePitchPass 6 of 6
Grand Startup Challenge 2027
A national stage
Pitch to the jury, investors and policy makers at the national finale.
How it works
Four months, from applications and shortlisting to a month of mentorship and a final pitch in New Delhi. All dates are in IST.
eligibility and scoringThe room
A high-signal room of people who can make a good idea more useful, more tested and more ready for the real world.
Startups and founders
Shortlisted early-stage founders across the four tracks, many DPIIT recognised.
Investors
Venture capital funds, industry leaders and invited investors, with access to the Founders’ Lounge.
Policy makers
DPIIT, Startup India and other government representatives shaping India's next decade.
Students and campus delegates
Students and delegates from participating academic and knowledge partner institutions.
Media and industry press
Media and industry voices covering the founders, solutions and national showcase.
Corporate innovation and CVC teams
Corporate innovation and venture teams exploring solutions with deployment and partnership potential.
Invitations
Academic partners help pick and grow the builders. Investors meet them early. Sponsors put their brand behind them.
Academic partnership
Bring your founders, faculty and students into the challenge
Join as a Founding Knowledge Partner. Help pick the winners, send your incubated startups and student founders, and put your institution beside Startup India.
open academic partnership ↗Investor partnership
Meet the next generation of India's builders
Access a screened pipeline, the Founders’ Lounge, selected pitch decks and the final showcase.
open investor partnership ↗Sponsor partnership
Put your brand behind meaningful progress
Support the challenge through a sponsorship package designed around visibility, founder access and the themes shaping India’s next chapter.
open sponsor partnership ↗Who can apply?
Early-stage startups incorporated in India, as a private limited company or an LLP, with at least one founder working on it full time. If you have raised more than ₹50 crore in funding, the challenge is not for you.
When do applications open and close?
Applications open on 1 October 2026 and close on 31 October 2026, IST. The deadline is firm and will not be extended.
How are applications scored?
Every application first clears eight yes-or-no eligibility checks. It is then read by two independent reviewers and scored on four equally weighted criteria: track fit, product evidence, team and traction. Both are published in full, so you can write your application against them.
Read the eligibility checks and screening rubricWhat do I need to apply?
Details on your company, every founder, your product, market and traction, your pitch deck as a PDF (up to 50MB), uploaded on the form, and a link to a 2 to 5 minute video of the founders on YouTube, Google Drive or Loom. It takes about thirty minutes, and your answers save in your browser as you go.
Which track should I apply to?
Pick the one closest to the problem you solve: lending and fintech, mobility and road safety, logistics and supply chain, or sovereign AI. Open a track brief to see what we are looking for.
What happens after I apply?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and shortlisted startups are invited to interview. Everyone who applies hears back by email. We may contact you for clarification along the way; that does not mean you have been selected. Shortlisted teams then work with a mentor and refine their solution before the finale.
Where and when is the finale?
In New Delhi in January 2027. Startups pitch and demo to the jury in their track room, and track winners re-pitch in the main auditorium.
What do startups get?
A shot at the ₹1 crore prize pool, plus real deployment, mentorship, investor visibility and national recognition.
Still deciding?
let’s build what moves india forward