Ayurveda Startup Grand Challenge – India

The 8th Ayurveda Day embraces the theme “Ayurveda for One Health,” resonating with India’s G20 Presidency theme, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family). The central theme is encapsulated in the tagline “Ayurveda for everyone, every day,” emphasizing the interconnection of human health with the environment, animals, and plants. It adopts a four-pronged “Jan Sandesh, Jan Bhagidhari, and Jan Andolan for Jan Arogya” approach, underscoring the Ministry of Ayush’s commitment to holistic health through Ayurveda.

The main objectives of the Challenge are:

• To discover and recognize societal/sectoral problems that can be solved by Ayush and innovations of startups in Ayush Sector.
• Identify and promote the start-ups that have potential to solve challenges in Ayush sector.
• Foster and advocate for the adoption of technology and innovation to drive sustainable growth in the Ayush sector.

Themes for Challenges

• Innovations to improve accessibility, availability, and affordability of healthcare through Ayurveda
• Innovations for improving quality & reach of Ayush products & practices
• Solutions to reach daily lifestyles of people in all age brackets and all parts of society

Problem Statement

• Integration of Technology in Ayurveda Education
  • With increase in global demand for Ayurveda-based lifestyle solutions & treatments, there will be a need for a large pool of competent Ayurveda professionals- suggest solutions for integration of technology in Ayurveda education (ed-tech), treatments/surgery, to support and improve skilling, training, and competency of Ayurveda professionals, and Ayurveda-principles based Diagnostic devices/ markers & informatics systems to improve patient outcomes in Ayurveda education.
• Digital Transformation in Ayurveda Healthcare
  • Demand and supply aggregation for public health delivery, enabled by technology will ensure last-mile delivery for qualitative and affordable Ayurveda treatments- suggest solutions for digitalizing & centralizing the Ayurveda Healthcare experience, health records, quality practitioner availability, and medication/treatments.
• Innovative Ayurvedic Solutions for Nutrition and Wellness
  • Decentralizing Nutrition, supporting development & immunity, and control of malnutrition & NCDs- Today’s lifestyles and resultant chronic conditions/diseases require genuine, evidence-based Ayurveda treatments/formulations to be innovatively re-offered in a way that specific solutions depending on needs of age, lifestyle, and nutritional needs can be integrated easily to all lives.
• Inclusive Ayurveda for the Planet
  • Inclusive Ayurveda for the Planet: Solutions based on principles of Agro-Ayurveda, Veterinary, Ayurveda (Pashu Ayurveda), and other innovative solutions that blend traditional streams of Ayurveda into offerings to ensure health for all and ecological balance.
• Processing Innovations in Ayush Manufacturing
  • Ayurveda holds great potential, however, to gain wider acceptance and tackle issues related to toxicity and global benchmarks there is a need to process innovations in Ayush manufacturing for improved quality assurance

Incentives

• Fiscal Incentives
  • 1st Prize: Cash Prize of Rs. 5 lakhs
  • 2nd Prize: Cash Prize of Rs. 2.5 lakhs
  • 3rd Prize: Cash Prize of Rs. 1 lakh
• Non-Fiscal Incentives
  • Opportunity to get incubated at All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and/or any other incubators that may be set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Ayush (valid for the next 1 year).

Eligibility Criteria

The Ayurveda Startup Grand Challenge is open to the following:

• DPIIT recognized startups in the relevant sectors.
• Individuals as a group (3-5 members)- (If selected, they will be required to register a legal entity before any cash prize/grant can be rewarded to them).

For more information, visit Ministry of Ayush.