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News: Six youth-led startups from across the country won the 8th edition of the Youth Co-Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026.
About Youth Co-Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026
- Six youth-led startups from across the country won the 8th edition of the Youth Co-Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026.
- Led by: The initiative is jointly led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India and Citi Foundation in partnership with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and implemented by the T-Hub Foundation.
- Edition 2026: It is the eighth edition of the challenge.
- It was launched in India in 2019 by UNDP in collaboration with the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog.
- Aim: It aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship.
- It is aligned with the Government of India’s Mission LiFE and focuses on innovations that nudge individual and collective action towards a Lifestyle for the Environment.
- Focus: The theme of this year is Responsible Consumption.
- Themes: The participating startups worked across three thematic areas:
- Sustainable Textiles and Fashion
- Circular Economy Innovations
- Sustainable Food Systems and Water Conservation,
- Selection process:
- Following a rigorous selection process, 50 high-potential startups were enrolled in the National Springboard Programme.
- All 50 startups pitched before a distinguished jury during the National Innovation Dialogue. Following the evaluation, the top 20 startups advanced to the Regional Immersion Bootcamp hosted at T-Hub, Hyderabad.
- Following a final jury evaluation, six startups were selected for their scalable, high-impact solutions.
- Winners: NavaPrayoga Labs LLP (Grassip), UnBubble and Ecorenowa Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
- Runners Up: Eco Cushion, Vasudeva Innovations and WomenasticCO
- Prizes: The winning startups received seed grants of three lakh fifty thousand rupees each. The runners-up were awarded two lakh twenty thousand rupees each.
- Ecosystem Exposure & Recognition: Selected startups gain national visibility, access to T-Hub’s innovation ecosystem, and opportunities for continued engagement with mentors, investors, corporates, and policy stakeholders.
- Significance: It has emerged as a key platform for promoting youth-led innovation and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
