IIT-Madras announces winners of ‘ideas to impact’ national eco-innovative contest

CHENNAI: IIT Madras on Friday announced the top five student eco-innovator teams of the inaugural edition of 'ideas to impact' (i2I) challenge.

According to the statement issued by IIT-Madras, the winning teams were awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each and will also join the upcoming cohort of the Carbon Zero Challenge to secure prototype funding of up to Rs 5 lakh and a chance to secure the CZC seed grant of Rs 10 lakh.

The best five teams selected after rigorous scrutiny includes NIT Arunachal Pradesh (Mobile production unit for customizable semi-torrefied mixed agro-waste biomass pellet), LBS college of engineering (Design and development of electric cutter for laterite stone quarries and laterite stone based industries), Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur (Reusable, interlocking bricks crafted from plastic waste), Kumaraguru College of Technology (An eco friendly packaging made from crop residue, rice bran, lemongrass and paddy straw), NIT Pondicherry (Air curtain designed to remove microplastics while ensuring safe passage for fish).

The teams presented their proof of concept prototypes on 9, August at IIT Madras Research Park.

Addressing the event, K Subramanian, Senior VP, Ashok Leyland, said, "Innovation is not just dreaming about an India, which is also needed, but it flows down from a business case, which implies a market exists, the cost point is right, the product will be 'manufacturable' and reliable.

Only when all those stars line up, will you have a business case, which has to come before the idea comes."

Presiding over the event, V Kamakoti, Director, IIT-M said, "We are seeing a national spirit with more and more participation from different states. I am sure the top five winners will take their projects forward. I want to see a start-up coming. In the next 10 years, recycling jobs will supersede coding jobs. If you get a nice product idea, we will help you in patenting it and ensure your idea is protected."

i2I is a Pan-India eco-innovative contest for college students and researchers, spearheaded by IIT-M and supported by the Wipro Foundation.

It aims to transform eco-innovative concepts into viable prototypes that actively contribute to a carbon-neutral future.