Altinho, May 22, 2025: In an inspiring development for Goa’s innovation landscape, the Goa Open Innovation Challenge 2025 has officially closed with an impressive 548 entries received from across India and beyond. This initiative by the Startup & IT Promotion Cell, under the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, has emerged as a powerful platform for collaborative problem-solving between the government and the innovation community.
The response to the challenge demonstrates growing momentum around Goa’s vision of becoming a leading destination for innovation-led governance. Startups and student innovators responded to real-world problem statements posed by government departments, proposing scalable, tech-enabled solutions that promise to impact core sectors of public service.
Startups made up the majority of participants, contributing a little over 85% of the total entries with 467 applications, while student innovators submitted 81 applications, ing for around 15%. Among the sectors, the Department of Tourism attracted the highest interest with 166 submissions—140 from startups and 26 from students. This was followed by the Department of IT, Electronics & Communications with 80 entries, and the Department of Science & Technology and Waste Management with 69.
The challenge also saw notable participation across sectors like Agriculture, Industry, NABARD (focused on rural innovation), the Goa Public Service Commission, and other stakeholder departments. The diversity of submissions reflects a growing culture of collaboration—where startups and young innovators are stepping in as co-creators of solutions alongside government departments. This momentum is being further fueled by the engagement of educational institutions and the emergence of young changemakers across the country.
Mr Milind Prabhu, the Chairman of IT and Startup Community for the Goa chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) described this initiative as a valuable opportunity for startups to connect directly with the needs of government and public service, where practical, technology-driven solutions can be implemented and tested in real-world conditions.
Mr. Sujeet Shetty, President of the Goa Technology Association (GTA), observed that the Goa Open Innovation Challenge 2025 shows how startups, students, government departments, and industry can work together to solve real-world problems. He acknowledged the encouraging level of participation as a reflection of the growing momentum in Goa’s innovation landscape and expressed optimism about the impact these solutions could create.
Mr. Mangirish Salelkar, Chairman IT of the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India – Goa Council, emphasized that this initiative offers Goan startups a chance to reshape perceptions of Goa beyond a leisure destination. He highlighted that it provides an opportunity to showcase innovation, build impactful ventures, and establish Goa as a thriving hub for scalable, community-driven solutions.
Hon’ble Minister of IT, Electronics & Communications, Government of Goa, Shri. Rohan A. Khaunte stated “The overwhelming response to the Goa Open Innovation Challenge 2025 is a testament to Goa’s growing appeal as a hub for innovation and collaboration. This initiative reflects our commitment to leveraging technology for governance. As we work towards positioning Goa as India’s Creative Capital, we are excited to see these solutions come to life and transform the state into a hub for innovation.”
With the application window now closed, the next stage of the challenge will involve the shortlisting and evaluation of proposals by expert s, followed by interviews with selected teams. Finalists will be ed to pilot and scale their solutions in partnership with the respective government departments.
The challenge has energized the startup ecosystem and reinforced Goa’s vision of driving innovation-led governance across sectors.