Karnataka concludes ELEVATE NxT 2026 with 983 startup applications, 256 finalists
ELEVATE NxT 2026 received 983 applications from deeptech startups across India, with 256 finalists selected after a 60-day evaluation process.
The Karnataka government has concluded ELEVATE NxT 2026, its flagship DeepTech startup program, after drawing applications from 983 startups across the country and narrowing the field to 256 finalists in just 60 days.
Run by the Department of Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology (ITBT) under the Local Economy Accelerator Program (LEAP), this edition built on nearly a decade of the original ELEVATE initiative. The key shift this year was scope: instead of focusing on Karnataka alone, the program opened its doors to DeepTech founders from every part of India.
The response was substantial. Applications poured in from frontier fields including artificial intelligence and machine learning, quantum technologies, spacetech, healthtech, cleantech, and mobility. From the original pool of 983, evaluators shortlisted 661 startups for in-person pitches, and 256 of those went on to present at the Grand Finale. Officials say the full multi-stage process was completed in a record 60 days, which they pointed to as a sign of the program's efficiency and coordination.
What the program offers
Selected startups stand to receive grant-in-aid support of up to ₹1 crore each. Beyond the funding, the program provides milestone-based financing, sector-specific mentorship, and structured ecosystem support designed to help founders turn early research into products that can compete globally.
What officials said
Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT, BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, framed the 2026 edition as a deliberate next step for a long-running program. He noted that ELEVATE has spent close to ten years backing Karnataka's early-stage startups with grants and ecosystem support, and that ELEVATE NxT now extends that work with a dedicated DeepTech focus open to founders nationwide.
He added that it was striking to see entrepreneurs taking on hard problems across AI and machine learning, quantum, space, healthtech, cleantech, and mobility, and that moving from 983 applicants to 256 finalists in 60 days reflected the strength of the state's innovation base.
Dr. N. Manjula, I.A.S., Secretary to the Government in the Department of ITBT and Science and Technology, described the edition as a milestone in Karnataka's DeepTech journey. She said the scale, diversity, and quality of this year's participation pointed to a maturing national DeepTech ecosystem, with Karnataka positioned as its anchor.
The minister also thanked the ITBT department, the jury, ecosystem partners, and participating startups for their role in the program.
The bigger picture
With this edition, Karnataka is positioning itself as the country's leading innovation hub and signaling that its support for science-led entrepreneurship now reaches well beyond state lines. For DeepTech founders, the combination of meaningful grant funding and structured mentorship makes the program one of the more notable public-sector bets on frontier technology in India today.