Startup Mahakumbh, India’s largest startup event, has announced a nationwide contest to recognise and celebrate innovations that leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create positive social impact.

The contest, ‘AI for Public Good’, invites startups, research labs, universities, indie developers, and students to showcase AI-driven solutions. Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their AI solutions across several categories including affordable healthcare and assistive technology, education accessibility, human rights and social justice, governance efficiency, economic equity and empowerment, climate change mitigation, disaster response and relief, public safety and security, infrastructure and transportation, and agricultural development.

"We believe that for the first time in human history, we have a technology like AI that has the power to drive significant improvements towards sustainable development goals (SDGs) to improve the lives of billion+ Indians," said Umakant Soni, Chairman, AI Foundry, and Co-founder and former founding CEO, ARTPARK. “Through this contest, we aim to recognise and support innovators who are using AI to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our society today.”

Angel investor and mentor Hari Balasubramanian said as an investor and mentor, he was always looking for innovative startups using technology to solve real-world problems. “The AI contest at Startup Mahakumbh is a fantastic opportunity for startups to gain recognition and support for their impactful work,” he said.

"We are excited to see the innovative solutions that participants will bring forward," added Anagh Prasad, Investor, Accel. "This contest is not just about winning; it's about making a meaningful impact on society and shaping the future of AI for the better."

In addition to gaining visibility for their innovative work, participants will have the opportunity to win a cash prize of Rs 500,000 for the top 6 projects presented. Projects submitted to the contest must be based on AI technologies and address one or more public issues highlighted in the award categories. Submissions must include a project overview, implementation details, impact assessment, and any relevant demos or prototypes. Teams can consist of individuals or groups from startups, research labs, universities, indie developers, or students. The deadline for submission of applications for the contest is March 15, 2024.

Shortlisted projects will be invited to present at the AI & SaaS Pavilion of Startup Mahakumbh on March18, where they will have the opportunity to showcase their work to a panel of esteemed industry experts. This pavilion will showcase India’s best startups in the AI and SaaS space. Historically, India has been a global IT services hub and is now seen as the next big destination for innovation in AI.

The AI & SaaS exhibition will be a vibrant showcase of startups changing the course of the Indian tech sector. The conference will have insightful discussions on topics such as AI-driven automation, machine learning algorithms, cloud-based SaaS platforms, and more.