Application Deadline:
04 November 2025
About Organisation
Social Alpha is a platform dedicated to nurturing innovations that drive social, economic, and environmental progress. The organization identifies and supports entrepreneurs who use science and technology to solve India’s most pressing development challenges. Social Alpha’s mission is to create sustainable and scalable impact by helping innovators translate their ideas from ‘lab to market’. Through incubation, acceleration, and seed funding support, the organization bridges the critical gap between innovation and implementation. It focuses on areas such as climate action, healthcare, livelihoods, and sustainable development, enabling start-ups to build impactful solutions that improve lives at scale. With a strong ecosystem of government, industry, and civil society partners, Social Alpha continues to empower entrepreneurs who aim to fight poverty, enhance environmental resilience, and create equitable opportunities for all.
About the Grant
The Namma Bengaluru Challenge 2026, launched by UnboxingBLR in collaboration with Social Alpha, WTFund, GBA, Bengaluru Climate Action Cell, and WRI India, is designed to identify and support innovators tackling urban and climate-related issues in Bengaluru. The challenge aims to strengthen the city’s resilience against environmental degradation and promote sustainable urban growth. Start-ups with deployment-ready technologies can receive pilot grants of up to ₹25 lakhs and access to seed funding up to ₹1 crore.
Key focus areas include construction, air pollution, waste management, and water & sanitation—sectors crucial for Bengaluru’s sustainable transformation. Selected ventures will gain opportunities for pilot deployments, market validation, and stakeholder visibility through collaborations with government, industry, and civil society. The challenge aligns with Bengaluru’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP) and India’s Nationally Determined Contributions, fostering innovation that integrates environmental stewardship with equitable urban development.
Who can Apply?
The challenge is open to innovators and entrepreneurs with deployment-ready solutions demonstrating proven technical performance and measurable social or environmental impact. Applicants should have solutions applicable to Bengaluru’s urban context and capable of addressing local challenges effectively.
Eligible ventures must be independent entities, not subsidiaries of existing corporations or tied to government bodies. The applicant’s company should be registered in India as a private limited company with DPIIT recognition, ensuring alignment with the national start-up framework. Moreover, Indian promoters must hold at least 51% shareholding in the company to maintain its domestic identity.
The venture should not be part of any joint venture with external entities that could compromise its DPIIT registration or start-up status. Preference will be given to start-ups that have already demonstrated pilot-level success or strong potential for deployment and scaling. Overall, this challenge seeks entrepreneurs committed to developing climate-resilient and sustainable urban solutions for Bengaluru’s future.
How to Apply?
Interested applicants can apply online through Social Alpha’s application portal. The submission should include detailed information about the innovation, implementation plan, scalability, and expected impact. Shortlisted candidates will be evaluated based on alignment with focus areas and readiness for deployment. Selected ventures will undergo further due diligence before funding support and pilot implementation within Bengaluru’s urban systems.
Application Deadline
Applications close on 4th November 2025. Early submission is encouraged to ensure full consideration for evaluation and participation in the program’s pilot and funding opportunities.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, please visit the grant website here.
