Launches Docu-Series on City’s Construction Crisis and Expands Climate Innovation Partnerships

The second edition of the Challenge cements Bengaluru’s role as a sandbox for sustainable urban solutions, combining civic innovation, startup acceleration, and hard-hitting storytelling.


• The Namma Bengaluru Challenge ’26 witnessed a surge in applications, attracting nearly 600 startups focused on solving critical urban climate issues.
• NBC ‘26 has been rolled out by UnboxingBLR in partnership with Social Alpha and WTFund. They have joined hands with a powerful coalition of 15+ partners – spread across government, private, venture partners, social sector & civil society – to make this a reality. 
• The initiative reinforces Bengaluru’s role as a sandbox for scalable climate technologies, catalyzing sustainable urban transformation in India.
• The NBC ‘26 Challenge is also highlighting climate-focused issues through UnboxingBLR’s podcast “Code to Culture” including guests like Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, while the investigative docuseries with Bengawalk sheds light on construction and demolition waste management in the city.

Bengaluru, November 11, 2025 –

The Namma Bengaluru Challenge (NBC) ‘26, by UnboxingBLR in partnership with Social Alpha & WTFund, closed its application phase on a high note with nearly 600 startups from across India applying to join the challenge. The urban innovation accelerator, now in its second year, aims to identify and nurture early-stage startups developing climate-resilient and sustainable urban solutions in sectors such as air pollution, waste management, water conservation and sustainable construction.

This overwhelming response signals a powerful shift in mindset – entrepreneurs are no longer standing on the sidelines of climate action; they are actively engaged in solving complex problems that the city faces. They understand that while the scope of their work is local, its implications are global. Through the Namma Bengaluru Challenge, they are seeing Bengaluru as both their testing ground and their launchpad to the world. The initiative is solidifying the city’s reputation as a leading sandbox for innovation in climate resilience and sustainable urban solutions.

Building a Stronger Ecosystem of Partners

The program’s strong appeal lies in the caliber and diversity of its collaborators. The core partners — UnboxingBLR, led by Prashanth Prakash; Social Alpha, led by Manoj Kumar and WTFund, led by Nikhil Kamath — bring decades of venture capital experience and a shared commitment to nurturing a vibrant startup ecosystem.

“In our debut edition last year, we realized that giving money to startups is not enough. It is perhaps a great start, but a solid finish needs more. Founders want the guidance of venture capital veterans, the networks that come with it, and opportunities to pilot their solutions within the city. Most importantly, they want to share their stories. We designed this program to deliver on all those needs because that’s what builds a great startup ecosystem,” said Malini Goyal, Co-Founder and CEO of UnboxingBLR.

This edition of NBC is marked by multi-disciplinary partnerships. Core partners UnboxingBLR, Social Alpha and WTFund are leading the initiative, supported by the Government of Karnataka and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

Industry leaders such as BIAL – Bangalore International Airport and Brigade Group lead as Challenge Partners, along with program partners like Bengaluru Climate Action Cell, WRI India, Brigade REAP, CoEvolve Estates, Biome Environmental Solutions and Good Earth, collectively bring the muscle, expertise, and mentorship required to solve multi-dimensional urban challenges.

Storytelling as a Tool for Urban Change

Alongside the record participation, UnboxingBLR launched a powerful investigative docu-series in partnership with Bengawalk that throws light on one of the city’s most visible yet overlooked challenges: dust and debris from unregulated construction and demolition (C&D) waste. The series follows the trail of the city’s construction waste to reveal why Bengaluru remains one of India’s dustiest metros. It uncovers the startling economics of urban negligence, legal disposal costs often double that of illegal dumping, and the systemic inefficiencies that turn civic issues into environmental crises. Through citizen voices, data, and on-ground visuals, the series calls for collective action among builders, regulators, and residents, reinforcing UnboxingBLR’s mission of storytelling as civic engagement. 

Click here – Part 2 to drop in December ‘25

Complementing this, UnboxingBLR’s “Code to Culture” podcast recently featured Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), who provided important updates on key infrastructure projects including the Ejipura Flyover completion timeline, progress on upcoming metro lines, and new frameworks to help citizens escalate community issues effectively.

A Collective Movement Toward Urban Solutions

The enthusiastic participation of startups, partners and collaborators, along with high engagement on social media, reflects a shared belief that Bengaluru’s challenges can only be solved through collective action, not in silos. NBC’s growing ecosystem demonstrates how collaboration between government, industry and startups can deliver scalable and sustainable impact for the city.

As NBC ’26 moves into its next phase, a panel of eminent judges will select five startups to enter a six-month pilot program, each receiving a ₹25 lakh grant and access to an additional ₹1 crore in scale-up funding. These startups will deploy their solutions in partnership with leading real estate, infrastructure, and climate organizations — turning Bengaluru into a sandbox for sustainable urban innovation.

The winners will be announced on January 24, 2026, as part of the city’s premier festival, BLR Hubba, which runs from January 16 to 25, 2026.

About UnboxingBLR:

UnboxingBLR (UBLR) is a Bengaluru-focused collaborative platform dedicated to celebrating and shaping the city’s culture and identity. Founded in 2023 by Prashanth Prakash and Malini Goyal, UBLR brings together people, communities, and institutions to co-create Bengaluru’s story, serving as a city champion, idea catalyst, and collaborative platform.

UBLR drives initiatives such as the Namma Bengaluru Challenge, an accelerator that supports startups and changemakers tackling urban challenges in Bengaluru; BLR Hubba, a city-wide festival celebrating art and culture; the annual WeAreCity data report, a one of kind report on India’s top cities; and Code to Culture, a podcast capturing exploring the city and its people. Together, these initiatives highlight citizen-led innovation and showcase Bengaluru’s cultural vibrancy in action.