PhysicsWallah Launches ₹10 Crore AI Startup Challenge 2026 with Startup India and DPIIT
Shortlisted participants will have the opportunity to present their innovations before an investment jury and compete for funding from PhysicsWallah in exchange for equity.
Edtech unicorn PhysicsWallah (PW) has launched the PW AI Startup Challenge 2026 in collaboration with Startup India and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), committing up to ₹10 crore to invest in promising artificial intelligence startups and student-led innovations across India.
Scheduled to take place on August 20–21, 2026, at PhysicsWallah’s headquarters in Noida, the initiative aims to identify, mentor, and back early-stage AI ventures while strengthening India’s rapidly expanding artificial intelligence startup ecosystem.
The challenge is open to seed- to Series A-stage startups as well as college and university students developing AI-first solutions. Eligible startups must be registered in India, have an AI-first or AI-enabled product with a core artificial intelligence component, and include at least one Indian founder or resident. Student innovators are also encouraged to participate, even at an early stage, with no application fee required.
Shortlisted participants will have the opportunity to present their innovations before an investment jury and compete for funding from PhysicsWallah in exchange for equity. In addition to potential investment, participants will receive mentorship, networking opportunities and exposure to investors, founders and industry leaders to help accelerate product development and commercialisation.
The programme is inviting applications from startups building AI solutions across sectors including edtech, fintech, defence technology, healthcare and robotic surgery, deeptech, drone technology and B2B SaaS, reflecting the growing adoption of artificial intelligence across industries.
Commenting on the initiative, PhysicsWallah Co-founder and CEO Alakh Pandey said the company wants to create opportunities for builders who are solving real-world problems through artificial intelligence. He added that the challenge is designed to help founders and student innovators transform promising ideas into scalable businesses by providing access to capital, mentorship, and the broader startup ecosystem.
Founded in 2020 by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari, PhysicsWallah has grown from an online education platform into one of India’s largest edtech companies, serving millions of students across online and offline learning formats. In recent years, the company has expanded beyond education through acquisitions, skilling initiatives, and startup ecosystem programmes, reflecting its broader ambitions in technology and innovation.
The launch also aligns with the Government of India’s push to strengthen the country’s AI ecosystem through initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission and Startup India. As AI adoption accelerates across sectors, the PW AI Startup Challenge 2026 seeks to identify the next generation of AI-driven startups while contributing to India’s ambition of becoming a global hub for artificial intelligence innovation.