More than half of the semi-finalist teams come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
Samsung India today announced the Top 40 semi-finalist teams of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2026, its youth innovation programme focused on helping young people turn ideas into solutions through mentorship, technology, prototyping and hands-on learning.
Now in its fifth edition, the programme is open to young people aged 14 to 22. The Top 40 represent 15 states and 26 cities, with more than half of the teams coming from Tier 2 and Tier 3 India. The teams have been shortlisted across four themes – AI Living for India, Health and Education, Environmental Sustainability, and Sport & Tech.
“What stands out in this year’s Top 40 is how closely young people are looking at the world around them. They are identifying problems in their communities, classrooms, farms, businesses and playing fields, and asking how technology can make a difference. The fact that more than half of these teams come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 India is particularly encouraging because it shows that the next generation of innovation can emerge from anywhere. Our role through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is to give these young innovators the mentorship, technology and opportunity to turn their ambition into impact. As Samsung completes 30 years in India, we want to continue investing in the ideas and talent that will shape the country’s next 30 years,” said SP Chun, Corporate Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia.
The shortlisted teams are developing solutions spanning AI-enabled healthcare, cybersecurity, agricultural sustainability, assistive technologies, education and inclusive sports.
“The transition from an interesting idea to a viable solution is often the most difficult part of the innovation journey. What is encouraging about this cohort is that 25 of the Top 40 teams have already started building prototypes. The next phase will challenge them to test their assumptions, learn from users, strengthen their technology and think more deeply about how their solutions can work at scale. That process of learning by building is fundamental to creating strong innovators,” said Dr Nikhil Agrawal, Managing Director, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi.
The Top 40 will participate in an Innovation Bootcamp from September, including visits to Samsung R&D centres and its Southwest Asia headquarters, followed by mentoring with FITT, IIT Delhi. The journey will culminate in a National Pitch Event, from which 20 teams will advance to the final stage.
The Top 40 will receive ₹8 lakh collectively for prototype development, while each team member will receive a Samsung laptop. The Top 20 teams will receive ₹20 lakh collectively for prototype enhancement and a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip smartphone for each member. The Top 4 winning teams will receive a cumulative ₹2 crore grant for incubation at IIT Delhi.
Since its launch in India in 2022, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has supported youth innovation through incubation grants, cash prizes, technology products and mentorship. This year, Samsung conducted 184 Design Thinking Workshops across 135 cities, further expanding the programme’s reach across India.
