DDWS Innovation Challenge 2025-26
Pays up to INR 3 lakh for rural water-testing and sanitation innovations.
Selected innovators get national visibility, structured mentorship from IIT Madras faculty and domain experts, field-trial opportunities, and incubation or proof-of-concept support, alongside the cash award. The program is meant as a route to real-world validation and scale-up aligned with missions like Jal Jeevan Mission, the funding is equity-free, and applicants apply directly with DDWS.
The challenge runs two tracks: portable devices that test drinking water for chemical and bacteriological parameters with digital, mobile-connected output, and small-scale, affordable systems for disposing of multi-layered plastic waste in rural areas. It targets India's drinking-water quality and sanitation gaps, especially in rural and decentralized settings.
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