The AI by HER Challenge 2025 has now been officially announced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). This has been done to encourage and empower women innovators in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
This initiative also aims to promote female participation in India’s rapidly growing AI ecosystem by supporting their innovative ideas, helping them in research, and even the startups led by women.
The total prize pool of ₹25 lakh will now be awarded to winners who develop impactful AI-driven solutions addressing real-world challenges.
The AI by HER Challenge is now vividly open to women professionals, the researchers, students, and even the entrepreneurs who are actively working in AI-related fields.
Applicants can also participate individually or as part of a women-led team.
The competition now seeks projects which have been focused on areas such as healthcare, agriculture, education, fintech, sustainability, and governance, where AI can help to bring measurable social or economic benefits.
Participants will now need to present original AI-based projects that would help to demonstrate innovation, scalability, and ethical AI practices.
The selection process will include multiple evaluation rounds, the first would be proposal submission, followed by prototype demonstration, and final presentation before an expert jury.
The best-performing participants will now receive cash prizes, the mentorship support, and even the potential incubation opportunities through MeitY’s partner organizations and even via the technology hubs.
The challenge not only rewards innovation but it would also provide a platform for women technologists to connect with all the government agencies, industry leaders, and even the investors.
It would also help to represents a major step toward bridging the gender gap in India’s tech and research sectors, thus encouraging more women to take leadership roles in AI development.
With various kinds of applications now being open, the AI by HER Challenge 2025 stands as a symbol of India’s commitment to help building an inclusive, diverse, and also a forward-looking AI ecosystem that supports both technological advancement and women’s empowerment.
