Guidelines
Eligibility, the participation process and the official submission template for the Seva First Innovation Challenge, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Goa.
Who can apply
Open to innovators of every background across the Maharashtra Zone, whether applying as an individual, a team or an organisation.
Individual Innovators
Independent individuals with innovative ideas, solutions, inventions, or approaches addressing real-world problems.
Students
Students with fresh, innovative ideas and solutions addressing societal, community, industry, or public challenges.
Startups
Startups developing innovative products, services, technologies, or business models with potential for impact and scale.
Companies
Companies developing or implementing innovative solutions to address practical challenges and improve products, services, processes, or delivery.
Other Institutions
Other eligible institutions working on innovative solutions, research, technology, social impact, or community-oriented challenges.
Eligibility and Application Principles
- The Challenge would be open to all eligible innovators, including individuals, students, student teams, researchers, faculty, informal innovation teams, startups, MSMEs, companies, social enterprises, educational/research institutions and other organizations with a clearly identifiable innovation, product, technology, process or solution. Incorporation or DPIIT Startup Recognition should not be mandatory merely to apply; entity and DPIIT details may be captured only where applicable.
- An individual or any one of the founders of an entity should possess a Domicile certificate of either one of the States of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Goa.
- Startups would be considered Women led if the Women or group of women in the startup have 51% or more than 51% share. The shareholdings should be for more than 2 months from the date of application date.
- The solution should align with one of the 10 sectors and demonstrate a credible problem-solution fit.
- The same innovation may be submitted only once and under one primary sector. Duplicate or substantially identical applications will be disqualified after verification.
- Applicants should disclose the current stage of development, prototype status, pilots, users/beneficiaries/customers, validation evidence, IP status and regulatory dependencies. Revenue, funding and formal entity information should be captured only where applicable.
- Applicants should consent to verification of submitted information and permit the organizers to seek supporting evidence during due diligence.
- Applicants selected from among the exhibition finalists should be available for the scheduled final-stage interaction and exhibition requirements.
The application journey
A transparent, multi-stage journey. Every application is reviewed independently.
Use the official template
Every application is submitted as a single PowerPoint (.pptx) presentation, prepared using the official Seva First template so every submission follows the same structure.
Seva First Innovation Challenge — Submission Template
Download the template, fill it in for your idea, and upload it with your application before the deadline.
The First-Time Problem Solvers Guide
Read the guide to understand the seven steps from identifying a problem to finding a solution.
First-Time Problem Solvers Workbook
Use this workbook to apply the problem-solving steps.
Walkthrough & Instructions
Watch these step-by-step video guides to understand the challenge guidelines and application process.
How to apply
Watch this walkthrough to learn about the eligibility, guidelines, and key requirements for the challenge.
How to sumbit your idea
Watch this tutorial to learn how to prepare your proposal and complete the submission template.
Contact the helpdesk
Queries on registration, eligibility, documents and technical issues are all handled by the helpdesk. See the footer for contact details, or return to the main site.
