NXP Opens Season 6 Challenge To Back Deep-Tech Startups

India’s deep-tech ecosystem is entering a more practical phase, where access to infrastructure matters as much as ideas. NXP India has opened applications for Season 6 of its Tech Startup Challenge, expanding its effort to support startups working across semiconductors, embedded systems and applied AI.

The programme brings together industry, government initiatives and research institutions, signalling a growing focus on helping founders move from early innovation to deployable products.

Applications are open from 17 February to 20 March 2026.

Support Designed Around Real Startup Needs

Rather than a short-term competition format, the challenge offers structured support across incubation, lab access and mentorship.

The top 10 startups will receive equity-free incubation and access to specialised infrastructure through partners including Startup India Hub, Electropreneur Park, Semiconductor Fabless Acceleration Lab, FabCi, and INCeNSE.

This includes access to advanced labs, prototyping support, faculty guidance and connections to suppliers: areas that often slow deep-tech startups. The top three winners will share INR 10 lakh in prize money and receive ongoing mentorship from NXP India’s technical leadership.

A Stronger Push Towards Semiconductor Execution

The challenge focuses on startups building IP, processors, fabless ASIC designs and embedded products across sectors such as automotive, industrial IoT, healthcare, smart homes and energy.

That focus reflects a wider shift. Deep-tech startups increasingly struggle not with ideas but with validation, testing and scaling hardware. Programmes that reduce those barriers directly influence commercial outcomes.

An additional “Excellence in Applied AI” award supported by Extreme Tech Challenge will recognise startups using applied intelligence in real-world systems. The winner will present at the organisation’s global AI conference in California later this year, adding international visibility alongside technical support. The inclusion highlights how AI innovation is moving closer to devices, edge environments and industry use cases.

Ecosystem Partnerships Take Centre Stage

According to Lars Reger, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at NXP Semiconductors, the programme aims to combine mentorship, industry access and global exposure so startups can scale beyond local markets.

Hitesh Garg, Vice President and India Managing Director, highlighted the importance of connecting entrepreneurs with global networks and technical expertise to translate breakthrough ideas into scalable solutions.

The messaging reflects a broader industry reality: deep-tech growth depends heavily on ecosystem depth.

India’s startup ecosystem has matured in software, but semiconductor and embedded innovation still face structural hurdles.

Initiatives like this attempt to address three recurring gaps:

• Access to specialised infrastructure

• Product engineering mentorship

• Global exposure and partnerships

Past winners have moved into industry pilots, international showcases and wider visibility, suggesting these programmes are increasingly acting as execution platforms rather than promotional stages.

The conversation is moving away from startup creation towards startup readiness, how quickly founders can move from prototypes to production. That transition from building ideas to building products is likely to define the next phase of India’s semiconductor and deep-tech ecosystem.

Season 6 signals a quieter but important shift in India’s deep-tech story.