GJEPC, in collaboration with SINE, IIT Bombay, has launched the first edition of the JewelStart Industry Innovation Challenge 2026, a national platform aimed at bringing startup-led innovation into India’s gems and jewellery sector.

The challenge invites startups, innovators and technology solution providers to address pressing industry needs across the jewellery value chain, spanning manufacturing, retail, supply chain, sustainability, automation, traceability, design and digital transformation.

Launched under GJEPC’s JewelStart initiative, the programme seeks to connect entrepreneurial problem-solving with real-world industry requirements. Areas of focus include smart factory monitoring, precious metal inventory and capital optimisation, smart manufacturing automation, sustainable jewellery manufacturing, affordable jewellery prototyping, and AI-led productivity and process enhancement.

Selected participants will gain access to industry recognition, expert evaluation, ecosystem validation and opportunities to explore pilot collaborations with leading stakeholders. The programme also offers exposure to SINE IIT Bombay’s innovation network and mentorship ecosystem.

JewelStart itself was launched earlier this year by GJEPC as a dedicated innovation, incubation and acceleration platform for the gem and jewellery industry, designed to encourage technology adoption, entrepreneurship and scalable business solutions.

The challenge is open to India-registered startups with validated prototypes, MVPs, pilot-stage or market-ready solutions relevant to the gems and jewellery ecosystem. Startups from adjacent sectors such as AI, IoT, sustainability, logistics and fintech are also eligible if their technologies can be adapted to industry applications.Applications for the JewelStart Industry Innovation Challenge 2026 are open until 18 June 2026.

Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, said,“The gems and jewellery industry contributes enormously to India’s export economy, yet when it comes to technology adoption, we have barely scratched the surface. This challenge is about changing that reality. By connecting motivated startups with real industry problems and real industry stakeholders, we create the conditions for solutions that actually get adopted and scaled. This is how we take Indian jewellery manufacturing to the global frontier — not just in craft, but in capability.”

The JewelStart Industry Innovation Challenge runs across five structured phases. The national call for applications opened on 25 May 2026. Shortlisting and screening will follow through 22 June, after which a virtual evaluation round with an expert jury is scheduled for 20 July. Shortlisted teams will then present at a Physical Industry Showcase in August 2026, with the final cohort announcement made shortly thereafter.

The programme is open to registered Indian startups at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and above, with at least one full-time founder who is an Indian citizen. Critically, the challenge is not restricted to companies already operating in the jewellery space — startups from adjacent domains such as AI, IoT, robotics, sustainability technology, fintech, and logistics are explicitly encouraged to apply if their solutions can be adapted to the sector’s needs. There is no application fee.

Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC said, “JewelStart was built on a simple belief: that the challenges facing our industry are solvable, and that the solutions will come from entrepreneurs who see them differently. This Innovation Challenge gives those entrepreneurs a direct path into the industry — real access to manufacturers, real pilot opportunities, and real conversations with investors who understand this space. We are not just running a competition. We are building the next generation of companies that will power Indian jewellery.”

Startups accepted into the cohort will receive mentorship from domain experts and industry professionals, direct introductions to manufacturers, exporters, and retailers across GJEPC’s 10,000-plus member network, and access to SINE IIT Bombay’s incubation infrastructure and ecosystem. The programme also facilitates pilot collaborations with industry partners, providing the real-world validation that investors and customers require. Funding support is available for qualifying startups, with connections to relevant investors and funding bodies based on the specific problem statement, stage, and evaluation outcomes.

The initiative marks a decisive shift in how India’s gems and jewellery sector — a multi-billion-dollar contributor to the country’s merchandise exports — intends to engage with the startup ecosystem. Rather than waiting for technology to trickle in, GJEPC is proactively defining the problems, inviting innovators to solve them, and backing the most promising ventures with mentorship, industry access, pilot opportunities, and connections to potential funding — all in service of JewelStart’s defining mission: “To make India the JEWELLER TO THE WORLD.”