NXP India, one of the company’s largest global R&D hubs and a major contributor in secure connectivity and embedded processing, has opened applications for Season 6 of the NXP India Tech Startup Challenge. The program aims to support emerging technology startups and help them scale their ideas into market-ready solutions.
The challenge is being conducted in partnership with Startup India Hub as part of the Government of India’s Startup India initiative, which seeks to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem and promote entrepreneurship with global reach. Selected startups will gain access to incubation, mentorship, and international exposure.
Electropreneur Park (ESDM Incubator), Semiconductor Fabless Acceleration Lab (SFAL), FabCi at IIT Hyderabad, and INCeNSE at IISc Bengaluru will provide equity-free incubation, advanced lab facilities, and guidance from industry and academic experts to the top 10 startups. The support will help founders refine products, strengthen business models, and prepare for growth.
Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC), a US-based non-profit organization, will also present a special “Excellence in Applied AI” award to recognize impactful use of artificial intelligence. The winner will be invited to present at XTC’s annual AI conference in California in November 2026.
“Since 2021, the NXP India Tech Startup Challenge has helped nurture India’s growing semiconductor and deep-tech community,” said Lars Reger, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, NXP Semiconductors. “Through mentorship, industry access, and global exposure, we want startups to grow from local innovators into global competitors.” The program focuses on startups working in IP development, semiconductor fabless design, processors, and embedded systems across sectors such as automotive, industrial IoT, smart cities, healthcare, and energy management.
Hitesh Garg, Vice President and India Managing Director, NXP Semiconductors, said, “Our goal is to support startups that combine strong technology with solutions that benefit society. Season 6 will connect Indian entrepreneurs with global expertise and opportunities.”
Top three winners will share INR 10 lakh in prize money and receive mentoring sessions with NXP’s technical leaders. The top 10 startups will gain incubation opportunities, industry networking, lab access, and prototype support.
Applications are open from February 17 to March 20, 2026, with the virtual finale scheduled for May 28, 2026. Previous winners, including Bharat Pi, Deepfacts, Lapa Electric, and Adaslabs Technologies, have gone on to gain industry recognition and wider market access.
NXP Semiconductors provides advanced solutions for the automotive, industrial and IoT, mobile, and communications infrastructure sectors. Through its “Brighter Together” philosophy, the company brings together cutting-edge technology and global talent to create system-level innovations that help build a more connected, secure, and efficient world. NXP operates in more than 30 countries and reported revenue of $12.27 billion in 2025.…Read more by MM Desk