Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 — ₹1L–₹5L Prizes for Haryana Innovators

Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 is a statewide competition organised by Startup Haryana, under the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Haryana. It asks people living across the state to come forward with practical answers to the development and governance problems that public departments are already grappling with.

The challenge is part of "Sewa Sankalp Abhiyan", a countrywide public outreach drive that coincides with the birthday of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and his 25 years in public service. For an innovator, the practical value is the platform itself: it puts creative talent from Haryana directly in front of the officials, academic institutions and industry leaders who can evaluate, test and adopt a solution.

Everything runs through a single digital portal, registration costs nothing, and you do not need an incorporated company to take part. Strong entries earn cash awards, exposure across government departments and the chance to demonstrate the solution live. The larger goal is to build a lasting culture of innovation in the state and to improve how public services reach citizens.

The challenge is open, transparent and deliberately broad in scope, covering both early prototypes and solutions that are already ready for the market.

• Cash prizes up to ₹5 lakh at the state level
• ₹1,00,000 for one top innovator in each participating district
• Completely free to enter — no application fee
• Open to students, startups, professionals, citizens, NGOs and self-help groups
• Applicants must be residents of Haryana and pick a district while registering
• Winners gain state-level recognition and live demonstration opportunities

The challenge is open to innovators who are residents of Haryana. You choose your district while registering, and that detail also determines which district-level award you can be considered for.

Participants are grouped into broad categories:

• Student, including college, polytechnic and university students
• Startup, whether early-stage or scaling
• Professional and domain expert
• Innovator, including grassroots innovators
• Researcher and academician
• Citizen
• Others, which covers NGOs and self-help groups

A registered company or an incorporated startup is not required. Someone with a promising idea, a working prototype or a finished product can all apply, provided the innovation is original and shows genuine potential for impact. Haryana-based startups, MSMEs, professionals and innovators are especially encouraged to enter.

Participation is completely free — there is no application fee at any stage.

Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 — ₹1L–₹5L Prizes for Haryana Innovators is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 — ₹1L–₹5L Prizes for Haryana Innovators accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

This is a prize competition rather than an investment, so the support arrives as a cash award.

• ₹5,00,000 each for the three best innovations at the state level
• ₹1,00,000 for one top innovator in every participating district

Winners get more than the money. Successful participants receive recognition from the Government of Haryana, visibility among state departments, academic institutions and industry leaders, and a real opportunity to show their solution working in a live setting. That exposure often opens the door to piloting or implementing an idea where it can create public impact, along with the networking that comes with it.

Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 — ₹1L–₹5L Prizes for Haryana Innovators is offered by Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Haryana, a government body. As a government-backed competition, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Every entry goes through a defined, multi-stage evaluation before any award is decided.

1. Application Screening. An academic desk reviews the submissions, tags each one to the relevant sector and runs a plagiarism check to confirm the idea is original.

2. Preliminary Assessment. Entries that clear screening are passed to the State Evaluation Committee and sector specialists, who carry out a feasibility audit and record their review remarks — usually within about four business days. They weigh the proposed solution, its uniqueness, impact, scalability, clarity and fit with the public problem it addresses.

3. Jury Evaluation. Shortlisted startups and innovators present their ideas to a high-level state jury made up of domain experts, mentors and departmental officers, who assess each pitch against the published criteria.

4. Final Selection and Recognition. The top innovations are selected and their creators receive their rewards along with recognition at the state level.

Before you apply to Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 — ₹1L–₹5L Prizes for Haryana Innovators, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 — ₹1L–₹5L Prizes for Haryana Innovators is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹1L – ₹5L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.