Spotlighting Agentic AI in clinical trials with a Rs 8 Lakh PoC grant for the winner
The Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) at IIIT Hyderabad, in collaboration with Hexaware Technologies, hosted the AI for Life Sciences Challenge Finale, a platform to reimagine the future of clinical trials with Agentic AI. The challenge concluded with a full-day event at IIIT Hyderabad featuring startup pitches, mentor immersion, jury evaluations, and an industry plenary panel on “Building Agentic AI in Healthcare – Science & Commercialization.”
The challenge received 130 applications, with 30 startups shortlisted, 17 advancing to Round 2, and 13 making it to the finale. Finalists presented innovations including CSR automation with co-drafting agents, clinical site management and data process automation, agentic AI lifecycle platforms, data harmonisation with knowledge insights, and schema-bound CSR automation with auditability. The top five finalists were Astra AI, Ciberts AI, Pentacure, Optimum Data, and Microgrid. Ciberts AI was declared the winner, receiving a Rs 8 Lakh PoC Grant and productization support from Hexaware.
The finale brought together a distinguished jury and mentors from leading pharma GCCs and IIIT Hyderabad, who evaluated the innovations on problem relevance, potential impact, team strength, differentiation, and depth of AI use. Leaders also participated in the plenary panel, underscoring Hyderabad’s role as a global hub for life sciences and AI innovation.
Startups received structured mentorship and support through webinars, workshops, and a Mentor Café that connected them with over 10 senior leaders across biotech, pharma, and digital health. They benefited from one-on-one guidance on aligning their technological solutions with regulatory needs and market readiness, as well as actionable jury feedback that offered a roadmap for future growth.
The month-long challenge provided startups with consistent support through mentorship sessions, technical reviews, and industry interactions. Teams gained practical feedback on their solutions and explored use cases directly relevant to the life sciences sector. The journey culminated in a full-day immersion with industry leaders, where startups presented their positioning and received guidance on scaling strategies. This sustained engagement created a strong platform for translating research-driven innovation into market-ready healthcare solutions.
