NXP India Launches Sixth Season of Tech Startup Challenge

NXP India, the Indian R&D arm of Dutch semiconductor company NXP Semiconductors, has opened applications for the sixth season of its annual Tech Startup Challenge, a program that supports early-stage technology startups working in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and embedded systems.

Applications are open from February 17 to March 20, 2026, with a grand finale scheduled for May 28, 2026. The top three startups will share a prize pool of INR 10 lakhs, distributed equally, and will receive three months of mentorship sessions with NXP India's technical leadership. The top ten finalists will gain access to equity-free incubation at partner institutions.

The program is organised in collaboration with Startup India Hub, a government initiative under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, along with Electropreneur Park, the Semiconductor Fabless Acceleration Lab (SFAL), FabCi at IIT Hyderabad, and INCeNSE at IISc Bengaluru. Each institution will offer finalists resources including lab access, prototyping support, and business guidance for periods ranging from three to six months.

US-based non-profit Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) will award a separate prize for "Excellence in Applied AI." The winner of that category will be invited to present at XTC's annual AI conference in California in November 2026 and will be included in XTC's network of investors and corporate innovation teams.

The challenge is open to private limited companies incorporated in India with at least 51 percent Indian ownership. Target areas include AI, machine learning, IoT, 5G, edge computing, functional safety, ultra-wideband, and Wi-Fi 6, with applications across automotive, industrial, healthcare, smart cities, and energy management sectors.

Lars Reger, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at NXP Semiconductors, said the challenge had served as an engine for India's deep-tech and semiconductor ecosystem since its launch in 2021, with the goal of helping startups "compete and collaborate on a truly international scale."

The program has been running since 2021. Past participants include Bharat Pi, Deepfacts, Lapa Electric, Adaslabs Technologies, Muse Diagnostics, Reflex Drive, and Glovatrix. Several alumni have appeared on the television program Shark Tank India.

NXP Semiconductors operates in more than 30 countries and reported revenue of $12.27 billion in 2025. The company's India centre is one of its largest global R&D hubs.