The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MI&B) held a meeting with incubators and startups in Hyderabad on Saturday to emphasise the importance of adopting AI-led solutions for bridging linguistic divides and ensuring inclusive communication to enable last-mile information delivery in every language across the country.
MI&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju chaired the meeting and addressed representatives from companies working on AI/ML-based technology solutions at T-Hub. Participants included the CEO of T-Hub, startups currently being incubated there, representatives from IIT Hyderabad, Centres of Excellence at NITs, and engineering institutions with active innovation cells.
In his address, Jaju highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting the creator economy in the country, adding that the MI&B has set up the WaveX Startup Accelerator Platform.
He added that the platform has launched ‘Kalaa Setu’ and ‘Bhasha Setu’ challenges, which aim to play a crucial role in building a future-ready digital ecosystem.
Jaju also urged India’s leading AI startups to participate in the above challenges and develop indigenous, scalable solutions that reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the nation.
Startups can register and apply for the ‘Kalaa Setu’ and ‘Bhasha Setu’ challenges through the WAVEX portal. The final shortlisted teams will present their solutions before a national jury in New Delhi, with the winner receiving an MoU for full-scale development, pilot support with AIR, DD, and PIB, and incubation under the WAVEX Innovation Platform.
In a statement, the ministry said that WaveX, a dedicated startup accelerator platform launched under the MI&B’s WAVES initiative, aims to nurture innovation in the media, entertainment, and language technology sectors.
At the WAVES Summit held in Mumbai in May 2025, WaveX provided pitching opportunities to over 30 promising startups, enabling direct engagement with government agencies, investors, and industry leaders, the statement added.