Key Highlights
- Launch: IndiaAI and the National Cancer Grid have inaugurated the Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program.
- Funding: Pilot awards of up to ₹50 lakh per project, with an extra ₹1 crore for successful scale‑ups.
- Collaboration: Joint effort between technology innovators and clinical leaders to embed AI in real hospital workflows.
- Scope: Focus on screening, diagnostics, decision support, patient engagement, operations and research.
- Deadline: All applications must be submitted by September 2, 2025.
Detailed Insights
The CATCH Grant Program, funded jointly by IndiaAI and the NCG, is structured in two phases. In the pilot phase, up to ten projects can receive grants of up to ₹50 lakh each, intended to build and validate AI prototypes within the NCG network. Projects that demonstrably improve clinical outcomes and operational readiness will move to the scale‑up phase, where an additional ₹1 crore is available to roll out solutions across the country.
Funding is complemented by programmatic support, including mentorship from senior clinicians, access to NCG data sets, and integration pathways into hospital information systems. The emphasis is on responsible, clinically validated AI that addresses the specific needs of Indian healthcare infrastructure.
Applications are open to a wide range of participants: start‑ups, established health‑tech firms, academic institutes, public or private hospitals, and joint teams of clinical and technical leads. The selection criteria stress innovation, feasibility, and demonstrable impact.
The program’s guiding principles underline responsible AI design, clear clinical validation pathways, and ethical deployment tuned to local contexts.
Key Concepts
- CATCH – The Cancer AI & Technology Challenge; a grant initiative aimed at accelerating AI solutions in oncology.
- National Cancer Grid (NCG) – A nationwide consortium of cancer centres, research bodies and hospitals focused on improving cancer care standards.
- Responsible AI – Development and deployment practices that ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in artificial intelligence systems.
- Clinical Validation – The process of testing an AI solution in real‑world clinical settings to confirm its safety, accuracy and utility.
- Scale‑Up Grant – An additional funding tier of ₹1 crore provided to pilot projects that achieve significant clinical or operational milestones.