Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2.0 (CSGC 2.0)

The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) has announced the winners of the Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2.0 (CSGC 2.0), a flagship initiative conducted in collaboration with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI). The programme aims to strengthen India’s cyber security ecosystem by fostering innovation and building expertise in critical technology domains.

₹6.85 Crore Prize Pool to Boost Innovation

With a combined prize pool of ₹6.85 crore, CSGC 2.0 is among the most significant government-backed cyber security innovation challenges in India. Launched in January 2025 and hosted on the MyGov Platform, the challenge encouraged start-ups and innovators to develop solutions for emerging cyber threats.

Focus on Six Critical Domains

The challenge incentivised innovation in six priority areas:

• API Security
• Data Security
• Wearable Device Security & Privacy
• Clone and Fake App Mitigation
• AI for Threat Detection & Incident Response
• Securing Next-Generation Biometric Systems

IPR Ownership to Start-ups

A notable feature of CSGC 2.0 is that Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of developed solutions remain with participating start-ups, encouraging entrepreneurship and commercialization of indigenous cyber security technologies.