Part of the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge with DPIIT, the initiative invites startups to build smart, scalable solutions for machine-level capacity planning
Tally Solutions, India’s leading technology company providing business automation software,has announced the launch of ‘Tally Startup Challenge’ under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge, in partnership with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The challenge was officially launched by Sri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, alongside senior representatives from Tally Solutionsat Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi.
The challenge invites DPIIT-registered startups to develop innovative solutions that address core capacity planning and productivity issues faced byMSME manufacturers in India.Following the launch, Tally Solutions hosted a masterclass for participating startups on “Effective Marketing Strategies,” designed to help them craft impactful go-to-market approaches.
The challenge aims to empower the Indian startup ecosystem by encouraging the development of affordable, scalable, and adaptive solutions that can be readily deployed across MSMEs. Under the theme of 'Smarter Planning, Better Productivity,' there is a clear emphasis on the urgent need for smarter capacity utilization, predictive maintenance, and dynamic scheduling tools in a highly volatile and resource-constrained manufacturing landscape.This initiative reflects Tally’s deep commitment to fostering innovation in the startup ecosystem and its continued collaboration with DPIIT to enable tangible impact at scale.
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Nabendu Das, Chief of Engineering & Product at Tally Solutions Pvt Ltd.,said: “At Tally, our mission is to empower MSMEs through technology-led products that are powerful, simple, and practical. Our partnership with DPIIT underscores our shared vision to create a lasting impact through technology-led enablement. The ‘Tally Startup Challenge’ is an invitation for startups to design intelligent, India-ready solutions that address longstanding pain points for manufacturers. The objective is to achieve a significant shift in capacity planning and manufacturing efficiency. We encourage startups to innovate and leverage cutting-edge technologies to build a winning solution! Through this initiative, we hope to nurture innovation and generate breakthrough ideas that will simplify manufacturing operations for MSMEs and accelerate their journey towards efficiency, competitiveness, and growth.”
Sri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT said,“India’s startup ecosystem continues to unlock solutions tailored to the unique needs of our startups. The ‘Tally Startup Challenge’ is a step in that direction, an opportunity to channel entrepreneurial innovation towards enhancing capacity optimization across small businesses. With support from platforms like Startup India and enablers such as Tally Solutions, we aim to foster scalable, India-first solutions that can power the next leap in startup productivity and growth.”
The challenge will unfold in two key stages: application and solution development. Startups will first submit a concept note detailing their proposed solution, and shortlisted applicants will then have 30 days to build and submit the final prototype. The application window opened on 04th August 2025 and closes on 03rd September 2025.
The winning startup will be awarded INR 3 lakhs, while the first runner-up will receive INR 2 lakhs. In addition to the cash rewards, the winning solution will be further developed and tested by the Tally team as a three-month collaborative project with the winning team, before being scaled for market use.
Participating startups will receive extensive mentorship, visibility, and opportunities to pilot their solutions across a wide range of MSMEs.