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Samsung and Startup India Join Forces to Ignite Youth Innovation in India’s Small Towns
In a transformative move to empower grassroots innovation, Samsung India has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Startup India, the Indian government’s flagship initiative to support entrepreneurship. The alliance aims to unlock the creative potential of young innovators from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, taking their ideas from district-level prototypes to the global stage.
At the heart of the collaboration is Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow, a nationwide innovation competition that encourages students and startups to develop real-world solutions using technology and entrepreneurship. Through the new partnership, this flagship program will be integrated with Startup India’s robust ecosystem of incubators, mentors, and policy frameworks. “Our partnership with Startup India brings together innovation and opportunity,” said SP Chun, Corporate Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia. “We aim to nurture change makers from the remotest corners of India and make them tomorrow’s problem solvers.”
The initiative aligns closely with Skill India, Digital India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat, and aims to make India’s startup revolution more inclusive. Participants will benefit from hands-on workshops, prototype development, expert mentorship, and the opportunity to pitch to real investors.
Samsung’s collaboration with Startup India has already begun to show results. The Top 100 shortlisted teams of this year’s Solve for Tomorrow program include students and young entrepreneurs from Samastipur (Bihar), Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Baramulla (Jammu & Kashmir), and Cachar (Assam)—regions traditionally underrepresented in India’s innovation landscape. “Empowering youth in smaller towns is critical to India’s innovation-led growth,” said Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT. “This partnership builds on that commitment and amplifies the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
This year’s competition themes reflect India’s most pressing challenges and future goals:
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AI for a Safer, Smarter, Inclusive Bharat
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Health, Hygiene, and Well-being
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Sports and Tech for Social Change
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Environmental Sustainability through Tech
Winning teams stand to gain incubation support and funding, including a grant of INR 1 crore for the Top 4, INR 20 lakh for the Top 20, and INR 8 lakh for the Top 40. These resources are designed to turn promising ideas into scalable ventures.
Launched globally in 2010, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow now spans 68 countries and has impacted more than 3 million youth worldwide. In India, its deepening footprint across rural districts proves that talent knows no geographic limits.
With Samsung’s global tech leadership and Startup India’s grassroots network, this public-private partnership is poised to redefine India’s innovation map, giving rise to a new generation of homegrown changemakers ready to take on the world.
