Delhi launches Service-First Innovation Challenge 2026

Delhi Higher Education Minister Ashish Sood has launched the ‘Service-First Innovation Challenge 2026’ at Delhi Technological University (DTU). The initiative aims to encourage young innovators to develop practical, technology-based solutions for real-world societal issues, including agriculture, waste management, education, clean energy, and rural development.

The challenge features a prize pool of 20 million rupees (2 crore) and offers participants expert mentorship and government support to transition ideas from concept to implementation. Mentors will include founders of prominent startups and unicorns, such as leaders from Veeba, Zypp, CashKaro, and AstroTalk.

With DTU serving as the anchor university, the program will extend across North India, including Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, and Ladakh. It is open to students from universities, industries, startups, schools, ITIs, and polytechnic institutions. This initiative aligns with the Delhi Startup Policy, which aims to foster 10,000 startups and create 400,000 jobs in the capital.