AI Impact Summit 2026 Positions India as Emerging Global AI Leader
NITI Aayog Highlights Capacity Building for Women-Led AI Startups
New Delhi, February 17: The AI Impact Summit 2026 is set to become a defining platform for positioning India as a leading force in artificial intelligence, according to Anna Roy, Mission Director of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform and Programme Director at NITI Aayog.Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Roy emphasized that the summit should help establish India’s global standing in the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.
Dedicated Mentorship Programme for 150 Women-Led AI Startups
Roy announced a focused capacity-building initiative for 150 shortlisted women-led AI startups. The programme will offer structured mentorship and networking support in collaboration with ecosystem partners.She underlined that entrepreneurial success demands comprehensive support across multiple dimensions, rather than isolated interventions.
“We received over 800 applications. First, we conducted an internal review. After that, we held 63 virtual panels,” Roy said.
Detailing the selection process, she added that a transparent evaluation framework was followed. The entire assessment process was managed by EY, with online marking conducted throughout. The evaluation was carried out anonymously to ensure fairness and objectivity.
WEP’s Role in Enabling Women Entrepreneurs
During a session titled Access to Acceleration: How WEP Supports Women Founders, Roy elaborated on the Women Entrepreneurship Platform’s mission to create a holistic enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs.“Our vision at WEP is empowerment, Shakti, where we enable behavior change, provide access to the right knowledge at the right time, and support women entrepreneurs from aspiration through to scaling their enterprises,” she said.
The session outlined WEP’s approach to supporting founders at every stage of their journey, from early ambition to enterprise growth and scale.
Top 10 Winners of AI By HER Global Impact Challenge Announced
Roy also announced the top 10 winners of the AI By HER Global Impact Challenge. The winners include Able Credit, Aso AI, Power Lifeline, Veryfi Technologies, Project Drives, Prosigo Language, Videos HR, That Creating, Water Ultra AR, and Zico AR.She congratulated the startups for their strong performance across multiple rounds of evaluation.
India AI Impact Summit 2026 Focused on Global AI Impact
Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog, expressed enthusiasm about the India AI Impact Summit 2026, highlighting its focus on delivering AI’s greatest promise of impact at a global scale.Speaking during the India AI Impact Expo 2026, she stressed that the summit represents a significant opportunity for India to help shape the future direction of artificial intelligence.
The AI By HER Global Impact Challenge, a flagship initiative under the summit, brought together women innovators, founders, researchers, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders for extensive discussions and startup showcases. The event centered on building impact-first, inclusive, and responsible AI solutions with global relevance.
With strong participation and a structured support framework, the AI Impact Summit 2026 signals India’s intent to play a pivotal role in shaping the global AI narrative.
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