New Grant Program Aims to Boost AI Innovations in Cancer Treatment

Key Takeaways

The Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program aims to enhance AI solutions in cancer care across India.
Selected projects may receive grants up to Rs 50 lakh with potential for scale-up funding of up to Rs 1 crore.
Applications from various stakeholders, including startups and hospitals, are open until September 2, 2025.

CATCH Grant Program Launched to Boost Cancer Care

IndiaAI’s Independent Business Division has teamed up with the National Cancer Grid (NCG) to launch the Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program. This initiative aims to foster innovative AI solutions that improve cancer screening, diagnostics, treatment support, and overall healthcare operations in India.

The CATCH program will provide grants of up to Rs 50 lakh for each selected project, co-funded by IndiaAI and NCG. The goal is to pilot AI solutions within the NCG hospital network, with possibilities for broader implementation based on successful outcomes. Projects demonstrating clinical impact may qualify for additional scale-up grants of up to Rs 1 crore.

CATCH will focus on critical areas such as AI-enabled screening, diagnostics, clinical decision support, patient engagement, and enhancing operational efficiencies. The initiative plans to select up to 10 proposals for piloting, depending on their technical feasibility and how well they align with healthcare needs.

Eligible applicants include startups, technology firms, academic institutions, and both public and private hospitals. Collaborative applications involving technical and clinical leads are encouraged to ensure a balanced approach to healthcare solutions. The program prioritizes responsible AI development and emphasizes the importance of validating these technologies within the unique context of Indian healthcare.

Submissions for applications are accepted through an online portal overseen by IndiaAI and NCG. The deadline for proposal submissions is September 2, 2025.

Through this initiative, IndiaAI, operating under the Digital India Corporation of the Ministry of Electronics and IT, seeks to expand the benefits of AI across society, enhance India’s position in global AI leadership, promote technological self-sufficiency, and ensure the ethical implementation of AI solutions.

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