New Delhi: The Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 (CSGC 2.0), concluded with a total prize pool of ₹6.85 crore. S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), felicitated the winners.
The Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), implemented in association with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), aimed at strengthening India’s cyber security capabilities and building expertise in critical technology domains to support a secure and resilient digital ecosystem.
The Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 carried a combined prize pool of ₹6.85 crore, making it one of the most significant government-backed cyber security innovation challenges in the country.
Under the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2, the Grand Winner was awarded ₹1 crore, while the 1st and 2nd Runners-up received ₹50 lakh and ₹25 lakh respectively, along with trophies in recognition of their innovation and contribution.
Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 Launched on MyGov Platform
Launched in January 2025, the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 was hosted on the MyGov platform, underscoring the government’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by incentivizing solutions across six critical domains:
- API Security
- Data Security
- Wearable Device Security and Privacy
- Clone and Fake App Mitigation
- AI for Threat Detection and Incident Response
- Securing Next-Generation Biometric Systems
A unique feature of the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 was that the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of the developed solutions remain with the respective start-ups, reinforcing the initiative’s focus on enabling long-term innovation and commercial scalability within the domestic ecosystem.
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Structured Multi-Stage Evaluation Under Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2
The Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 was conducted in four structured stages with progressive evaluation and financial support at each level.
At the Idea Stage, six start-ups were shortlisted under each problem statement, resulting in a total of 36 start-ups. Each of these received ₹5 lakh to further develop and refine their solutions under the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 framework.
During the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Stage, shortlisted start-ups were provided structured technical and business mentorship to build functional prototypes.
Following this phase, 18 start-ups – three under each problem statement – advanced to the Final Product Stage and were awarded ₹10 lakh each under the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2.
At the Final Product Stage, solutions were tested and validated, leading to the selection of five start-ups that were awarded ₹25 lakh each. In the concluding Go-to-Market Stage, start-ups were evaluated on commercial readiness, scalability, and market potential. Ultimately, three start-ups were declared Grand Winners of the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2.
Throughout the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2, participating start-ups received continuous technical and business mentorship to enhance product maturity, deployability, and market readiness.
S. Krishnan Highlights Importance of Indigenous Cyber Security Capacity
Addressing the gathering, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, emphasized the strategic importance of the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 in strengthening India’s domestic capabilities.
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He said, “The Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2.0 is an important step towards building strong indigenous cyber security capacity in the country. Cyber security is one area where domestic capability is of utmost importance. Indigenisation in cyber security is critical, as the security challenges we face are real and evolving, and we must be prepared with solutions developed within our own ecosystem.
The Challenge has followed a rigorous evaluation process, and it is encouraging to see extensive participation, including student-led teams, start-ups, and women-led enterprises.
The problem statements were carefully curated and highly relevant to today’s data-driven economy, where increased data sharing through mechanisms such as APIs must be accompanied by strong data security and privacy safeguards. This initiative is an opportunity to continue building long-term domestic capacity, and we must sustain this momentum going forward.
MeitY remains committed to advancing indigenisation in cyber security and strengthening institutional and ecosystem capacity through sustained collaboration.”
The Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2 thus represents a major government-backed effort to catalyze innovation, promote indigenous solutions, and enhance India’s resilience in critical cyber security domains.
