India AI Impact Summit 2026: 70 Finalists Announced from 4650 Global Entries
The challenges received more than 4,650 applications from over 60 countries, reflecting strong global participation in AI-driven innovation aligned with development priorities.
AI for ALL, AI by HER and YUVAi challenges draw participation from 60+ countries
New Delhi: Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, the finalists for three flagship Global AI Impact Challenges — AI for ALL, AI by HER and YUVAi — have been announced, following an overwhelming international response.
The challenges received more than 4,650 applications from over 60 countries, reflecting strong global participation in AI-driven innovation aligned with development priorities.
After a rigorous multi-stage evaluation conducted by domain experts and industry leaders, the top 70 teams across the three challenges have been selected. These finalists will present their solutions during the Grand Finale and Awards Felicitation Ceremony on February 16 and 17 at Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan.
AI for ALL: Scaling AI for Development
The AI for ALL Global Impact Challenge received over 1,350 applications from more than 60 countries, focusing on scalable AI solutions across healthcare, agriculture, climate resilience, governance, education and financial inclusion.
The top 20 finalists represent high-impact applications including AI-driven infection screening, soil intelligence systems, climate risk analytics, digital health diagnostics, cybersecurity platforms, industrial efficiency tools, accessible education technologies and AI-enabled governance systems.
These solutions collectively demonstrate how AI can support equitable growth and strengthen public service delivery across the Global South.
AI by HER: Women-Led AI Innovation
The AI by HER Global Impact Challenge attracted over 800 applications from more than 50 countries and is dedicated to advancing women-led AI innovation.
The top 30 finalists include women entrepreneurs developing AI-enabled cancer and retinal screening tools, multilingual clinical decision support systems, voice-to-EMR healthcare platforms, precision nutrition solutions, alternative credit intelligence systems, ESG automation platforms and multilingual localization technologies.
The initiative reinforces the government’s commitment to inclusive digital growth and positioning women innovators at the forefront of the global AI ecosystem.
YUVAi: Youth Shaping the Future of AI
The YUVAi Global Youth Challenge received over 2,500 applications from 38 countries, spotlighting young innovators aged 13 to 21.
The top 20 finalists are applying AI across public health, agriculture, climate resilience, accessibility, smart mobility and digital trust. Their innovations include malaria detection systems, AI-powered speech assistive wearables, cervical cancer screening platforms, telemedicine tools for rural healthcare, livestock analytics, forest fire and flood early warning systems, deepfake detection tools and assistive technologies for the visually impaired.
YUVAi reflects the growing global pipeline of youth-led AI talent committed to solving real-world societal challenges.
The 70 finalist teams will engage with policymakers, industry leaders, investors and academia during the summit, receiving recognition and ecosystem support to scale their innovations nationally and globally.
The strong global response to the challenges underscores India’s emerging role as a hub for responsible AI innovation, anchored in the vision of People, Planet and Progress.
For the Top 20 AI for ALL finalists list, click here.
