BENGALURU: The Karnataka government’s Department of Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology (IT/BT) on Wednesday concluded the 2026 edition of ELEVATE NxT, its flagship DeepTech startup support programme under the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP).

The programme, which expanded the scope of the state’s long-running ELEVATE initiative to a national level, received 983 applications from DeepTech startups across India. Following a multi-stage evaluation process, 256 startups were selected as finalists.

“From evaluating 983 startups to hosting 256 finalists at the grand finale, we completed the entire process in a record 60 days. This reflects Karnataka’s unmatched innovation ecosystem and our commitment to enabling cutting-edge entrepreneurship,” said IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge.

ELEVATE NxT builds on the ELEVATE programme, which has supported early-stage startups in Karnataka for nearly a decade. Unlike its predecessor, the new initiative invited applications from DeepTech startups nationwide.

This year, startups from sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), quantum technology, space tech, health tech, cleantech and mobility participated in the programme.

Of the 983 applications received, 661 startups were shortlisted for in-person pitching sessions before the field was narrowed to 256 finalists for the grand finale.

Selected startups will be eligible for grant-in-aid support of up to Rs 1 crore each, along with milestone-based funding, domain-specific mentorship and structured ecosystem support.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.