Adiuvo Diagnostics wins Qualcomm Design in India Challenge

San Diego, California based chipset manufacturer Qualcomm has announced winners of its hardware startup incubation program, the “Design in India” challenge.  

Siruseri, Tamil Nadu based Adiuvo diagnostics was awarded with Rs 65 lakh for its solution, which detects diseases early through optoelectronics.  The product is a multispectral imaging device backed by machine learning (ML) which can detect and classify wound infection causing bacteria in under two minutes.  

The runner up was Chennai based Planys technologies for its underwater robotic inspection drone. 

Bengaluru based Wellnesys Technologies was awarded the third place for its interactive yoga mat, which provides feedback such as real-time posture assessment. The first and second runners-up were awarded with Rs 50 lakh and Rs 35 lakh respectively.  

“In its fifth year Qualcomm Design in India Challenge has presented an opportunity to identify and back some of the most promising startups. With 5G and AI, Indian startups are expected to create a formidable impact, both locally and globally,” Rajen Vagadia, Vice President, Qualcomm India Private Limited and President, Qualcomm India, said.  

The fifth edition of the cohort consisted of twelve finalists. Qualcomm said the startups will also receive a few benefits such as patent filing incentives of up to 1.6 lakh, accelerator services, and access to Qualcomm Innovation Lab.

Qualcomm also said that the winners and finalists will get to participate in industry events such as Qualcomm Innovation Forum and government events.  

Last year the semiconductor company also launched an Innovation Commercialization Fund with an initial fund size of Rs 60 lakhs, three alumni startups were eligible for reimbursements of costs incurred owards industrial designs and initial batch of product manufacturing.  

The Design in India Challenge received over 155 applications from over 20 states. Since the first cohort in 2016 Qualcomm said it has incubated 65 hardware and AI startups, and given out a total of Rs12.3 crore in awards. The participants from most cohorts have also collectively filed for over 150 patents and raised close to $82 million in funding.