Samsung Launches SMA 2026 to Fund Indian Startups With $50,000 — No Equity, Apply Before June 30

Samsung has officially opened applications for the 2026 edition of Samsung Mobile Advance (SMA), its flagship startup incubation programme — and Indian founders are squarely in focus. Samsung R&D Institute Bengaluru and Samsung R&D Institute Noida have jointly issued the invite, offering Indian startups up to $50,000 to build a Proof of Concept with no equity asked in return. Applications close on June 30, 2026 as first reported by Times of India. 

What Is Samsung Mobile Advance (SMA) and Why It Matters for Indian Startups in 2026

Samsung Mobile Advance is Samsung’s primary open innovation engine — a structured incubation programme that plugs startups directly into the company’s global R&D muscle. The programme came to India in 2023 and has since positioned itself as one of the few corporate-backed efforts in the country to hand over real funding without a cap table entry. At a time when Indian startups are increasingly hunting for non-dilutive capital — as seen in funding structures like Offbeat’s ₹100 crore raise — Samsung’s no-equity model stands out.

“SMA reflects our deep commitment to open innovation, bringing together startup ingenuity and Samsung’s global R&D strength to co-create the future of mobile experiences,” said Mohan Rao Goli, Managing Director and CVP at Samsung R&D Institute Bengaluru.

SMA 2026 Focus Areas — AI, XR, Health, Wearables, and the Full Mobile Stack

SMA 2026’s focus areas are broad by design, covering artificial intelligence, extended reality (XR), security, health tech, camera, audio, and wearables — all anchored to Samsung’s mobile ecosystem. The programme is looking for startups whose innovations can realistically be integrated into Samsung products and scaled to a global user base. With India’s top AI startups maturing fast in areas like voice intelligence and computer vision, Samsung’s AI-first focus area is particularly well-timed.

“Through SMA, we focus on partnering with startups that demonstrate strong cultural and technological synergy,” said Kyungyun Roo, Managing Director at Samsung R&D Institute Noida. “We aim to integrate the best of external innovation with Samsung’s R&D expertise to shape the future of mobile experiences.”

How the SMA 2026 Selection Process Works — From Application to Incubation

The SMA 2026 selection process is structured across several months with defined milestones. Startups need to understand the timeline before submitting.

SMA 2026 Programme Timeline at a Glance

• Now – June 30: Submit a six-month PoC proposal covering innovation, feasibility, and impact
• July: Samsung’s expert panel evaluates all applications
• September: Shortlisted startups pitch before a jury of Samsung leaders
• October: Final selections announced; incubation begins
• Programme End: Startups present at Demo Day — with pathways to commercialisation, strategic partnerships, or Samsung investment

The process is selective, but the endpoint — a funded PoC backed by one of the world’s largest technology companies — is a meaningful milestone. For context, startups in other verticals like gaming are pulling in significant capital too; Lightfury Games recently closed $11 million in a high-profile round, showing how appetite for deeptech and entertainment crossovers is growing in India.

Beyond the Grant — What Selected SMA 2026 Startups Actually Gain

The $50,000 non-dilutive grant is the headline, but selected SMA 2026 startups receive considerably more. The package includes mentorship from Samsung’s global R&D network, hands-on access to Samsung’s product ecosystem and hardware, and visibility within the company’s international distribution infrastructure. For early-stage teams, that combination of capital and market reach is hard to replicate through a traditional seed round.

Previous SMA cohorts have also converted their incubation into long-term partnerships — in voice intelligence, 4D modelling, and enterprise security — which suggests the programme has genuine downstream value beyond the initial grant.

How to Apply for Samsung SMA 2026 — Deadline June 30

Indian startups applying for Samsung SMA 2026 should email their six-month PoC proposals to [email protected] before June 30, 2026. The proposal should cover the core innovation, demonstrate technical feasibility, and spell out what meaningful integration into Samsung’s mobile ecosystem looks like. Shortlisted teams will be contacted ahead of Pitch Day in September.

For startups building at the edge of mobile, AI, or health tech, this is one of the more accessible routes to non-dilutive corporate backing currently open in India.

Stay on top of Indian startup grants, funding rounds, and ecosystem news on KnowStartup.

Author

Sachin

Sachin Sidharth is a Digital Marketing professional with a master’s degree in Digital Marketing from Coventry University, UK. He has 10+ years of blogging and online marketing experience. He currently heads Digital Acquisition for a leading London-based Fintech firm. At KnowStartup.com He focuses on writing Digital Marketing guides and manages...

Sachin Sidharth is a Digital Marketing professional with a master’s degree in Digital Marketing from Coventry University, UK. He has 10+ years of blogging and online marketing experience. He currently heads Digital Acquisition for a leading London-based Fintech firm. At KnowStartup.com He focuses on writing Digital Marketing guides and manages KnowStartup's Digital Agency rankings of firms across multiple cities in India. You can reach him on Linkedin.

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