Medtech Solutions Take Center Stage As Qualcomm Announces Winners Of Qualcomm® Design In India Challenge 2023

By Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas

Qualcomm Incorporated has announced the winners of the eighth edition of Qualcomm® Design in India Challenge, India’s longest-running hardware startup incubation programme, launched in collaboration with nasscom and Startup India. The 3 winners were chosen from the 12 finalists through a meticulous evaluation by a jury comprising leaders and experts from within and outside Qualcomm.

• Ayati Devices Private Limited, who developed a laser-based medical imaging device for real-time microcirculation visualization and quantification, emerged as the challenge winner receiving a Rs. 50 Lakh(US$59,800) grant award.
• Rymo Technologies Private Limited, with their computer vision and AI/ML technology to integrate with physical rehabilitation solution took the 1st runner up spot receiving a Rs 30 Lakh grant award.
• SIAMAF Healthcare Private Limited, with their AI/ML enabled MafPro device platform, an ultrasensitive hand-held magnetic probe system for detecting cancer staging, localization and margins, bagged the 2nd runner up spot receiving a Rs 20 Lakh grant award.

The eighth edition of Qualcomm Design in India Challenge witnessed a total of 155 applications out of which 12 startups were shortlisted to the 2023 cohort. With solutions catering to use cases across areas such as medtech, robotics, automotive, AR/VR, AI/ML, and IoT, below are the other 9 finalists and their solutions:

*Augrade Private Limited – An AR glass platform that enables the real-time editing & visualisation of 3D models via simple hand gestures.

*Auklr Technologies Private Limited – A smart digital instrument cluster product that makes any electric vehicles smarter through a host of solutions including AI.

*Flo Mobility Private Limited – Flo edge is a deployment ready AI compute module has powerful Processor with onboard precalibrated sensors.

*Livsense Technologies Private Limited – World’s first green AI platform to address the ESG challenges of safety and sustainability.

*MARCN Technologies Private Limited – India’s first battery integrated DC charging solution provider.

*Savemom Private Limited – 5G enabled Multi vital modular medical wearable for pregnant women and children.

*Thryv Mobility Private Limited – A reconfigurable smart electric scooter that can be used by wheelchair users and able people which can be deployed in fleets.

*Trebirth Private Limited – Centralized radar-based monitoring system for stem borer detection in vineyards.

*Zebu Intelligent Systems Private Limited – An affordable 3D mapping solution for autonomous mobile robots.

Through the programme, each finalist received a grant of up to INR3.2 lakh along with business mentorship and access to dedicated engineering support and the well-equipped, state of the art Qualcomm Innovation Lab to help them build out their prototypes for various commercial use cases and applications. The finalists also qualified to receive incentives for patent-filing, opportunities to participate in Qualcomm hosted or sponsored events and business development opportunities from Qualcomm Technologies’ global sales and business teams.

Other benefits for the finalists included free seats at nasscom Center of Excellence for IoT, free software and cloud credits from MathWorks and AWS, respectively and connects with senior bureaucrats from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Aimed at enabling startups to commercialize their solutions, eligible Qualcomm Design in India Challenge alumni startups can avail of the Innovation Commercialization Fund (ICF), which provides them reimbursement for expenses incurred towards taking the product commercial.

India is among the fastest-growing economies globally and innovation has played a critical role in achieving this status. The Qualcomm Design in India Challenge, established in 2016, was created in alignment with the government’s “Make in India” vision, to encourage innovation and invest in concepts that might expand and enhance the nation’s digital economy. The initiative is a part of Qualcomm’s ecosystem enablement commitment to the Indian startup ecosystem through its larger Design in India Programme, which also includes Qualcomm® Women Entrepreneur India Network, L2Pro India, (an e-learning program for building awareness about intellectual property) and the Qualcomm Semiconductor Mentorship Programme. A first-of-its kind programme, it aims at mentoring semiconductor startups through their design phase towards commercialization. This programme was announced at the Semicon India conference in April 2022 as part of the larger government initiative to support a domestic ecosystem for semiconductor design and manufacturing DLI initiatives. The second edition of this programme is ready to kick-off its 2024 cohort with two start-ups Netrasemi Pvt. Ltd. and SandLogic Technologies Pvt. Ltd, that specialize in AI/ML chips and Edge AI intelligence, respectively.

The drive to invent is a core value of Qualcomm’s identity, and protection of inventors’ intellectual property rights is crucial. The patent filing incentive, earlier available only to Qualcomm Design in India Challenge startups, is now being extended to all initiatives under the Qualcomm Design in India Program as well as investee startups of Qualcomm Ventures in India. Qualcomm India is pleased to announce the Patent Incentive Fund (PIF) which startups from Qualcomm Design in India Challenge, Qualcomm Women Entrepreneur India Network and Qualcomm Semiconductor Mentorship Program cohorts and new Qualcomm Ventures investees can apply to for reimbursement of patent filing expenses up to INR 1.6 lakh per full patent application filed, limited to 2 per startup.

Vice President, and President of Qualcomm India Savi Soin said, “India’s vibrant startup ecosystem thrives on abundant tech talent and a dynamic business landscape. Recent government initiatives promoting home-grown technologies, coupled with growing 5G adoption in the country will give further momentum to digital transformation. Qualcomm Design in India Challenge reflects our commitment to leverage our expertise and help India grow in its digital journey. We have been empowering India our cutting-edge solutions and foster the growth of the start-up ecosystem to create solutions which will reshape our country.”

Vice President, Engineering, Qualcomm Incorporated, Sudeepto Roy said, “Qualcomm, a trailblazer in shaping wireless, computing, and on-device AI technologies across India’s industry spectrum—from academia to startups to the broader industry —has been instrumental in fueling India’s burgeoning hardware start-up ecosystem through the Qualcomm Design in India Challenge over the past nine years. As staunch advocates of Intellectual Property Rights, we empower inventors, foster innovation, and drive economic growth, through our IPR programs. With over 7300 students enrolled in the L2Pro India IPR e-Learning program and more than 470 patents filed globally by Indian startups from our initiatives, we’re proud to lead this transformative journey. Our heartfelt gratitude to nasscom and Startup India for joining hands as we continue to nurture India’s entrepreneurial spirit.”