Applications Invited for IndiaAI Innovation Challenge 2026 (Ministry of AYUSH)

Follow us on Linkedin: NGOBOX India

About the Organization

Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (M/o MSME) envision a vibrant MSME sector by promoting growth and development of the MSME Sector, including Khadi, Village and Coir Industries, in cooperation with concerned Ministries/Departments, State Governments and other Stakeholders, through providing support to existing enterprises and encouraging creation of new enterprises.

The Ministry of Ayush was formed on the 9th of November 2014 with a vision of reviving the profound knowledge of our ancient systems of medicine and ensuring the optimal development and propagation of the Ayush systems of healthcare. Earlier, the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) formed in 1995, was responsible for the development of these systems. It was then renamed as the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) in November 2003 with focused attention towards education and research in Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy.

About the Challenge

The IndiaAI Innovation Challenge 2026, in partnership with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Ministry of AYUSH, invites market-ready AI solutions to address high-impact public sector challenges in MSME governance and AYUSH-enabled public health systems.

The Challenge aims to identify, pilot, and scale AI solutions within government systems to strengthen service delivery, improve institutional efficiency, and enable data-driven decision-making in collaboration with Line Ministries.

Selected innovators will receive structured pilot and deployment support, with an opportunity to secure a two-year government work contract of up to INR 1 crore, subject to performance and scope alignment.

Challenge Objective:

To identify market-deployed AI solutions with strong potential for refinement and adaptation to address the defined problem statements in collaboration with the concerned Line Ministries.

Proposed solutions must demonstrate the ability to:

• Analyse complex datasets and generate actionable insights
• Support predictive and decision-making processes
• Integrate with existing digital systems
• Ensure scalability, security, and deployment readiness
• Comply with national data protection and cybersecurity frameworks
• Enable long-term adoption within public sector environments

Expected Output:

• MSME - Virtual Negotiation Assistance: AI-enabled virtual assistants for MSME digital dispute resolution, supporting automated intake, document analysis, outcome prediction, multilingual interaction, and assisted settlement drafting.
• MSME - Intelligent Agent Mapping: AI-driven tools for automated onboarding, classification, and intelligent matching of vendors and entities based on attributes, capabilities, and operational requirements.
• Intelligent AYUSH Health Systems: AI-based platforms for disease trend detection, public health risk forecasting, and personalised treatment and lifestyle recommendations using large-scale historical data.

Eligibility                                                                                                                                        

• Indian Companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013, with at least 51% Indian ownership
• Start-ups recognised under DPIIT guidelines
• Autonomous Bodies, including public sector organisations, research institutions, universities, and non-profit organisations
• Individuals, including Indian students, researchers, and working professionals affiliated with recognised institutions

How to Apply

• Stage 1: Initial screening and technical evaluation
• Stage 2: Shortlisting of up to three teams per problem statement; each selected team will receive INR 25 lakh to refine and pilot the solution with relevant government stakeholders
• Stage 3: Selected teams may secure a two-year work contract of up to INR 1 Crore for integration, deployment, operation, and maintenance of their solution within government systems.

Application Closed: 22 Feb 2026

For more information please check the Link

Stay in the loop with the newest RFPs and Grants through NGOBOX's WhatsApp Channel. Join now by clicking here!