‘Breakthrough – Science & Technology for People and Planet’ will offer a pathway for ideas to move from the lab to market to deployment through Social Alpha’s full-stack architecture.

OVERVIEW

Frontier technologies and new materials are creating vast opportunities to tackle previously insurmountable challenges. These advancements are part of the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, where AI, robotics, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies are blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological realms, with immense potential limited only by our imagination. 

To support science and technology entrepreneurs, we need an ecosystem that assists in establishing product-market fit, provides access to deployment sandboxes, and offers entrepreneurial mentoring. Additionally, efficient allocation of capital from various sources can bridge funding gaps, fostering breakthrough innovations that positively impact mass prosperity, well-being, sustainability, and equity. 

Social Alpha’s multi-stage architecture integrates backward with the R&D ecosystem, co-creating laboratories for translational research, product development, and venture incubation. Its forward integration with communities and markets catalyses innovation deployment and diffusion, generating evidence-backed playbooks for scale-up. This full-stack architecture aims to address market failure gaps in the sector, offering a pathway to breakthrough ideas from the lab to market to deployment. 

PROGRAM TRACKS

The program consists of two parallel tracks focused on solution development and deployment, providing tailored support to innovators. These tracks aim to de-risk the transition of early-stage innovations. 

Development Track
Technology is at a proof-of-concept stage or undergoing integration, testing, and validation in controlled and field settings (TRL 3-6).
Deployment Track
Technology has demonstrated technical performance and is ready for testing early product-market fit, use cases, and ROI demonstration, or is at a scale-up stage (TRL 7-9).

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Early-stage ventures working on science and technology-based disruptive innovations, contributing positively to mass prosperity, well-being, sustainability, and equity, may apply to either of the above-mentioned categories. 

Focus Areas

Space Technologies & Aeronautics Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Genetics & Synthetic Biology Robotics & Automation Engineering Quantum Technologies Advanced Materials & Manufacturing

Application Areas

We’re looking for Innovative solutions that leverage one or more of the above technologies with applications in the following areas that have been prioritised to address the planet’s most challenging problems and positively impact society and the environment by bridging the gap between discovery and commercialisation for breakthrough inventions and accelerating the start-up pathway.

Clean Energy

  • Renewables and Sustainable Fuels
  • Batteries / Long Duration Energy Storage
  • Heating, Cooling, Cooking, and other applications

Sustainable Materials and Circular Economy

  • Biomaterials, Polymers, and Composites
  • Biodegradable Packaging Applications
  • Material Recovery and Reuse
  • Insect Based Waste Management

Sustainable Food and Nutrition

  • Climate Resilient Crops
  • Pest Management
  • Livestock and Fisheries
  • Alternative Protein and Supplements

Health and Wellness

  • Screening and Diagnostics Devices
  • Sensing, Imaging, and Therapeutics
  • Drug Delivery Systems and Platforms
  • Genomics and Precision Medicine
  • Neurological and Genetic Disorders
  • Antimicrobial Resistance
  • Environmental Surveillance and One Health

Nature and Resources

  • Soil Rejuvenation
  • Water Resources Management
  • Waste Water Treatment / Air Pollution
  • Forests and Land Use
  • Rivers, Lakes, and Oceans
  • Natural Resource Monitoring

Industry and Other Applications

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Decarbonisation
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Decentralised Production and MSMEs
  • Advanced Aerial Mobility
  • Weather Forecasting
  • Disaster Management

Program Offerings

Development Track

Access to Social Alpha and partner labs for product development, testing, and iterations
Scientific Advisory Network & Technical Mentoring
Credit for hardware/software/lab consumables of up to INR 15 lakhs
Unrestricted grant of
INR 10 lakhs
Equity Investment of up to INR 100 lakhs with the potential for additional co-investment

Deployment Track

Access to Social Alpha’s deployment network for pilots and validations
Venture Development and Entrepreneurial Mentoring
Credit for business/regulatory support of up to INR 15 lakhs
Unrestricted grant of
INR 10 lakhs
Equity Investment of up to INR 200 lakhs with the potential for additional co-investment

Important Dates

The program will initiate on April 26, 2024, with quarterly intakes. Applications will be accepted until the specified cut-off period as outlined below:

  • Applications Open (First pool)

    April 26th, 2024

  • Applications Close (First pool)

    June 30th, 2024

  • First Pool Begins

    August  2024

Application dates for the second pool will be announced once the first pool concludes.

Our Partners

FROM THE ISRO CHAIRMAN’S DESK

"Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. "

Shri. S Somanath

Chairman, ISRO

frequently asked questions
frequently asked questions

  1. Who can apply?
    Early-stage ventures working on science and technology-based disruptive innovations at any of the following stages can apply:

    • TRL 3: Proof of Concept stage / Active R&D has been initiated. This includes analytical studies and laboratory experiments to physically validate the analytical predictions of separate elements of the technology.
    • TRL 4: Basic technological components have been integrated to establish that they work together.
    • TRL 5: Technology has been assembled and can be tested in a simulated environment.
    • TRL 6: Prototype is being tested in a simulated operational environment or in a high-fidelity laboratory environment.
    • TRL 7: Actual system prototype is near completion or ready and has been demonstrated in an operational environment or is at the pilot level.
    • TRL 8: Technology is proven and developed but not yet operational or applied anywhere.
    • TRL 9: Technology has been applied in its final form and is operational.
  2. What happens if I apply to the wrong category?
    In case you apply to the wrong category, we will shift you to the correct category based on your product’s focus. However, please note that you may have missed some questions that needed to be answered as part of the correct category. Therefore, it is advised to choose carefully.
  3. Is there any preference for an innovation?
    Applicants are encouraged to submit applications for tech-based innovations that solve problem statements with an impact on people and the planet. Innovations can be a product or a service. There is a preference for tech-based innovations with high social and environmental impact potential.
  4. Will I be eligible to receive funding by program partners upon selection?
    This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Some winners of the Innovation Challenge might be considered for Seed Investment, subject to due diligence.
  5. Can I find other funding partners for investments?
    Yes, winning start-ups can find other funding partners.
  6. Do I have to be physically present for any cohort-based sessions?
    For programmatic events like the launch and demo day, founders are expected to be present in person. During the rest of the program, participants will have the option to work from a location of their choosing. Attendance to webinars/sessions online, if any, is acceptable.
  7. Is the mentoring paid or free?
    Mentoring is part of the continuous engagement with the winners of the Innovation Challenge. Some mentor support, particularly from the internal ecosystem, comes pro-bono as part of the incubation services. However, some mentors and their advisory support may have a notional or actual cost, which will be agreed upon with the winners as per requirement. Participation in specialised/additional events could be subject to a nominal fee.
  8. What will be the terms and conditions of the incubation support?
    Some winners might receive credits for availing standard incubation services as part of the award, including services such as access to seats in office space, GTM support, and product development mentoring. If winners want to access additional premium services, a separate agreement might be required with the relevant agency.
  9. How frequently will we interface with the winners during the program?
    There will be regular interfaces between the winning teams and the Innovation program implementation team. Each start-up will be assigned a SPOC to help with customised requests, who will continually and regularly engage with the winning participants.

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Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions

Eligibility:

  • The applicant should be a registered company or willing to be registered in India. The shareholding by Indian promoters in the company should be at least 51%.
  • Participating or proposed ventures should be independent entities, meaning that they should not be a subsidiary of an existing corporation or have legal ties to a government body.

Category-specific Eligibility:

  1. Development Track:
    For innovations that need support in physical or digital prototype development and testing, and have a quick (less than 24 months) timeline for MVP, including:

    • Technology at a very early stage of development (lab/research) but theoretical proof of concept exists, or
    • Prototype has been designed but not built, or
    • Early prototype exists and early testing is underway/planned
  2. Deployment Track:
    For innovations looking for support primarily in product commercialisation and Go-To-Market Strategy, that is:

    • At an advanced stage of product development where a prototype exists and at least one pilot has been carried out, or the proof of concept has been physically demonstrated, or
    • Pre-commercial/fully functional lab prototype with some testing and feedback from users available, or
    • Product is ready and already in the market and looking for scale-up

Submissions and Participation:

  • Incomplete submissions will be deemed void and disqualified from the competition.
  • Submissions should be the original work of the participant and should demonstrate positive, sustainable, and scalable impact in India (though not exclusively in the region).
  • Participants agree to the use of their names, photographs, disclosure of their country of residence, and are required to cooperate with any other reasonable requests by the organiser relating to any publicity-related activities.
  • Participants are required to submit a declaration of good standing and solvency at the final stage of evaluation. If there is any change in circumstance that invalidates their good standing and solvency, the team is to immediately inform the organisers.
  • All participants own the rights to their ideas. Participants must properly acknowledge any trademarks, patented, or copyrighted materials of others that are incorporated into the submission materials. Participants are responsible for obtaining any necessary permission before incorporating such materials into their submissions.
  • Submitted ideas are protected in the spirit of non-disclosure, and all submitted materials will be treated as company confidential. The only people with access to the entry materials will be judges and select members of the organising committee. Materials will not be distributed to any other party unless requested by a participant. No other provisions are made to protect intellectual property.
  • As an effort to support the innovation ecosystem, for research purposes, non-sensitive data may be shared with government agencies or partner organisations. The participant’s personal identity, name, family name, phone number, address, or email address will not be used in any public collateral.

Decisions regarding the Winners:

  • The selection of the ‘Winners’ is at the sole discretion of the judges and the organisers.
  • Throughout all phases of the challenge, all decisions of the judges are deemed to be final.

Disqualification and Organisers’ Right to Amend Competition Rules:

  • The organisers reserve the right to disqualify any Participant who is found to have violated the spirit of the program guidelines and terms and conditions stated herein. Disqualified participants shall forfeit any and all prizes awarded to them.
  • The organisers reserve the right to amend these rules at any point before the Closing Date in line with the overall goal of the program.
  • The indicated dates may be revised at any point in time by the Organisers. Any change in schedule will be suitably intimated on the webpage and on other relevant platforms.

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Apply Now

For any assistance needed in filling the application form, please reach out to us at

deepscience@socialalpha.org