Six Indian Startups Win Youth Co-Lab Innovation Challenge

30 Jun 2026 CW Team

Fifty startups were selected for the accelerator after a competitive evaluation, with 20 advancing to a Regional Immersion Bootcamp in Hyderabad from 15 to 19 June that included workshops, mentoring and site visits. Participants presented at the National Innovation Dialogue on 4 June and underwent a final round of judging on 18 June that emphasised scalability and measurable environmental and social impact. The programme sought to strengthen business models and prepare ventures for market expansion and investment.

The three winners were NavaPrayoga Labs LLP (Grassip), UnBubble and Ecorenowa Solutions Pvt Ltd; the runners-up were Eco Cushion, Vasudeva Innovations and WomenasticCO. Each winner received seed funding of Rs 0.35 million (mn) and each runner-up received Rs 0.22 mn, alongside access to capacity building and innovation networks to support market entry. Organisers also offered continued mentoring and introductions to potential investors to assist scaling and impact measurement.

Senior representatives from partner organisations attended the awards and highlighted the role of youth leadership and collaboration in addressing development challenges. Organisers emphasised the need to expand access to funding and mentorship beyond major startup hubs in order to reach entrepreneurs in smaller cities, rural areas and underrepresented communities. They noted that empowering young innovators is central to national development and climate goals given that nearly 65 per cent of the population is under the age of 35 and that more than 40 per cent of selected startups were women-led.

"Join industry leaders at RAHSTA Expo, India's premier platform for roads, highways and traffic infrastructure. Register now to explore innovations, network with experts and shape the future of mobility."

Six youth-led startups from across India were named winners and runners-up in the eighth Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026, a programme co-led by UNDP India and the Citi Foundation with Atal Innovation Mission and implemented by T-Hub Foundation. The challenge attracted more than 350 applications from ventures representing 28 states and targeted sustainable textiles and fashion, circular economy innovations and sustainable food systems and water conservation. A three-month National Springboard Programme provided mentorship, training and business development support from 16 industry experts. Fifty startups were selected for the accelerator after a competitive evaluation, with 20 advancing to a Regional Immersion Bootcamp in Hyderabad from 15 to 19 June that included workshops, mentoring and site visits. Participants presented at the National Innovation Dialogue on 4 June and underwent a final round of judging on 18 June that emphasised scalability and measurable environmental and social impact. The programme sought to strengthen business models and prepare ventures for market expansion and investment. The three winners were NavaPrayoga Labs LLP (Grassip), UnBubble and Ecorenowa Solutions Pvt Ltd; the runners-up were Eco Cushion, Vasudeva Innovations and WomenasticCO. Each winner received seed funding of Rs 0.35 million (mn) and each runner-up received Rs 0.22 mn, alongside access to capacity building and innovation networks to support market entry. Organisers also offered continued mentoring and introductions to potential investors to assist scaling and impact measurement. Senior representatives from partner organisations attended the awards and highlighted the role of youth leadership and collaboration in addressing development challenges. Organisers emphasised the need to expand access to funding and mentorship beyond major startup hubs in order to reach entrepreneurs in smaller cities, rural areas and underrepresented communities. They noted that empowering young innovators is central to national development and climate goals given that nearly 65 per cent of the population is under the age of 35 and that more than 40 per cent of selected startups were women-led.

Real Estate

30 Jun 2026

NICMAR’s campus is a live lesson in construction methodology

At NICMAR University, architecture becomes a live lesson in construction innovation. Pankaj Nande, Principal Architect, TDC Architecture and Design, explains how Alumil’s fenestration systems helped turn a precast campus vision into a functional, durable and future-facing learning environment for the next generation of builders.Please take us through your journey as an architect and some of the projects you have worked on.I am the founder of TDC- Architecture & Design, Pune. Our journey started with the thought of doing justice not only to design, but also to construction methodology, te..

Infrastructure Urban

30 Jun 2026

India needs to build a building health operating system

Cyond is bringing engineering-led diagnostics, AI-assisted data and standardised repair systems to building preservation, after screening nearly 1.5 lakh buildings and finding water-related deterioration in 67 per cent. In this interaction with Construction World, Sunil Gorle, Founder, Cyond, discusses how building health insights can make maintenance more predictive.What business opportunity did Cyond identify in structural diagnostics and waterproofing?India has invested trillions of rupees in creating its built environment. Yet, many assets expected to last 70-100 years begin showing deteri..

Infrastructure Urban

30 Jun 2026

Waterproofing Blueprint

Waterproofing buildings used to be an annual pre-monsoon affair but the evolution of real-estate development has changed that approach. In new developments, developers are weaving waterproofing solutions into both the design and construction phases, an approach that Nikhil Madan, Managing Director, Mahima Group, says, “is all about ensuring lasting durability [of the building] and keeping lifecycle risks including water seepage and extensive maintenance to a minimum.”Watertight by designAluminium formwork systems aren’t commonly thought of as a waterproofing tool but at the Mahima Group,..