Samsung R&D Institutes in India have initiated the 2026 edition of Samsung Mobile Advance (SMA), a global incubation platform designed to pull Indian startup innovation into the tech giant’s mobile ecosystem. Operating through its R&D institutes in Bangalore and Noida, the company is offering selected startups a grant of up to $50,000 to develop Proof of Concepts (PoC), notably without seeking any equity or ownership stakes in return.
Samsung SMA 2026
The 2026 rollout follows the program's Indian debut in 2023, signaling a sustained interest in the local deep-tech pool. Samsung is targeting startups across a broad spectrum, including Artificial Intelligence, extended reality (XR), security, health, and camera technologies. The objective is a direct integration of external innovation into Samsung’s global product lineup, providing a steep climb for young firms looking to validate their tech at a massive scale.
Unlike traditional accelerators that demand a slice of the company, the SMA model functions as a pure collaboration play. The $50,000 injection is intended to cover the costs of building a functional prototype that can stand the mettle of Samsung’s rigorous internal testing.
The leadership at Samsung's R&D centers emphasized that the program is less about financial arbitrage and more about engineering synergy. Mohan Rao Goli, Managing Director and CVP at Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore, noted that the initiative is designed to merge local ingenuity with global R&D muscle.
“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,” Goli stated. “We aim to build long-term partnerships that not only accelerate innovation but also translate bold ideas into impactful solutions at global scale.”
Echoing this stance, Kyungyun Roo, Managing Director at Samsung R&D Institute Noida, highlighted the importance of a shared vision. “Through SMA, we focus on partnering with startups that demonstrate strong cultural and technological synergy. We aim to integrate the best of external innovation with Samsung's R&D expertise to shape the future of mobile experiences,” Roo added.
Pitch Day in Sep
The road to final selection involves a multi-stage vetting process. Startups are required to submit a detailed six-month PoC proposal by June 30, outlining the technical feasibility and potential impact of their innovation. Following an internal review in July, shortlisted founders will face a jury of Samsung leaders during a "Pitch Day" in September.
Formal incubation is scheduled to begin in October. Beyond the capital, startups gain access to Samsung’s global mentorship network and a potential pathway to commercialization. Previous cohorts have seen Samsung collaborate on complex domains such as voice intelligence, 4D modeling, and high-level security protocols.
The program concludes with a "PoC Demo Day," where the developed solutions are showcased to the company’s strategic investment and product teams. For startups, the ultimate prize is often not the initial grant, but the possibility of a strategic investment or a vendor contract that plugs their software or hardware into millions of devices worldwide.
By keeping the process equity-free, Samsung effectively lowers the barrier for high-quality startups that are wary of early-stage dilution. It positions the tech major as a partner rather than just a financier, at a time when the Indian startup ecosystem is shifting its focus toward sustainable, R&D-led growth over pure-play consumer internet models.
