New Delhi, July 30, 2026: Samsung India has announced the Top 100 teams for the fifth edition of its Solve for Tomorrow innovation programme, with more than 50 percent of the selected teams hailing from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across the country.
This year’s cohort includes young innovators from regions such as Medchal-Malkajgiri in Telangana, Buxar in Bihar, Kamrup in Assam, Kaithal in Haryana, Sundargarh in Odisha, Narmadapuram in Madhya Pradesh, and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, alongside participants from metropolitan areas. The programme recorded an 85 percent increase in applications and a 95 percent rise in participation compared to last year, according to Samsung.
Focus on real-world challenges
The Top 100 teams were selected from thousands of entries nationwide, with their projects addressing challenges in artificial intelligence, healthcare, education, accessibility, sports, and environmental sustainability. The teams will now compete for mentorship, national recognition, and an incubation grant of up to INR 2 crore.
Projects span four themes: AI Living for India, Health and Education, Sport & Tech, and Environmental Sustainability. Examples include an AI-powered anonymous reporting platform for public safety, smart wearables converting text to tactile Braille, AI tools for autistic individuals, affordable interactive classroom solutions, smart goggles for visually impaired swimmers, and AI-based early warning systems for landslides.
Mentorship and awards
The selected teams will receive mentoring from startup founders, industry experts, and academic mentors from FITT-IIT Delhi to develop their ideas into scalable solutions. The Top 40 teams will advance to a 10-day Innovation Bootcamp at FITT-IIT Delhi and visit Samsung’s R&D and design centres in Delhi, Bangalore, Noida, and Gurugram.
Each Top 100 team will receive a certificate. The Top 40 teams will collectively receive INR 8 lakh and Samsung laptops for each member. The Top 20 teams will share INR 20 lakh and receive Samsung Galaxy Z Flip smartphones, before presenting their innovations at the Grand Finale to a jury of Samsung R&D leaders and industry experts.
Grand Finale and additional awards
The Grand Finale will feature two Community Choice Awards with a total cash prize of INR 2 lakh and one Digital Impact Award of INR 50,000. The four winning teams will share a grant of INR 2 crore and receive incubation support from FITT-IIT Delhi to accelerate commercialisation of their innovations.
Now in its fifth year in India, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is open to youth aged 14-22 and is among the country’s largest youth innovation platforms. The programme, first launched in the US in 2010, is now held in 68 countries and has seen participation from over three million young people globally.
Samsung’s commitment to innovation
Shubham Mukherjee, Head, Corporate Communications & CSR, Samsung Southwest Asia, said over half of this year’s Top 100 teams come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, demonstrating that talent is universal when opportunity is accessible. “As Samsung celebrates 30 years in India, we are proud to help create those opportunities and support the next generation of innovators building solutions for the nation and the world,” Mukherjee said.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global technology company with operations in consumer electronics, mobile devices, and digital solutions, and has been present in India for three decades.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a press release provided by the concerned organisation and has been edited for style and clarity with the assistance of AI tools. BusinessFortnight does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the claims, figures, or statements made in the original release.
