PRESS RELEASE
On the Occasion of the Award Ceremony of the India Innovation Pioneers Challenge 2009
Date: 28 August 2009, New Delhi
Time: 07:00 pm
Venue: Taj Palace Hotel, S.P. Marg, New Delhi
Contact:
Dr. Smriti Trikha, Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, New Delhi
Email: strikha@indousstf.org
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Intel and the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) have partnered to launch the Technology Entrepreneurship Program, as a public-private initiative with the aim to foster an ecosystem that encourages innovation and creativity to boost entrepreneurial spirit in Indian academia and scientific enterprises by adopting some of the best practices. Growth of entrepreneurial talent, developing innovative business people with cross-disciplinary skills, technical expertise and the ability to seize market opportunities in India are the moot objectives of this program.
In an effort to identify and promote budding “technopreneurs” with innovative ideas, DST, Intel and IUSSTF, jointly conducted the India Innovation Pioneers Challenge (IIPC) competition 2009. The technology business plan competition provides an unique opportunity to emerging entrepreneurs at a very early stage of their career to explore and share ideas and gain insight for commercializing their venture through a hand holding process involving recognition through cash awards coupled with mentoring and networking support.
This signature technology business plan competition is designed to promote innovation at the national level and at the same time ensure support to aspiring entrepreneurs at a worldwide level. The best awardees in each category of the competition besides receiving awards will also be provided with an all expenses paid trip to the University of California, Berkeley to show case their business ideas by participating at the international Intel-Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge to be held later in 2009 and getting exposure to the best practices in a premier US academia.
In the third year of its running the IIPC 2009 invited entries from students covering areas of manufacturing of electronic systems and hardware; communications; digital home devices; consumer electronic devices; technologies and systems for retailing; applications of IT for agriculture; new types of software services and web services, energy and environment; biotech and bio-medical engineering.
The IIPC had two categories of completion:
Scholar Sparks: Scholar Sparks was a competing platform for students from the engineering, science and medical institutions and business schools across the country having an innovative technology business plan.
Champion of Champions: This category invited entries from teams having secured top 3 positions at prominent business plan competition held in India over the last 2 years and incubatees attached with prominent technology business incubators.
The Award Ceremony recognized the best teams in both categories of the India Innovation Pioneers Challenge 2009.
This year, the competition received 137 proposals, out of which 26 teams were shortlisted. The shortlisted teams were given an opportunity to work with the industry and academia experts who mentored the teams to help them fine-tune their business ideas and come out with a final business plan. Five teams were selected as winners (refer to the awardees details given below) by the jury comprising of experts from industry and academia.
Mr. Prithviraj Chavan, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology & Earth Sciences, Govt. of India, felicitated the winners of India Innovation Pioneers Challenge 2009 at a ceremony held at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi on the 28th of August 2009 in the presence of Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and Dr. Praveen Vishakantaiah, President, Intel Technology, India.
The top three teams under Scholar Sparks category received cash award of Rs Three lakhs (First prize), Rs. One lakh (Second prize) and Rs. Fifty thousand (Third prize) respectively. Besides this, two teams recognized as “Honorable Mentions” from the jury received a cash award of Rs. Twenty five thousand each. For the Champion of Champions Category, the jury recommended only second prize & third prizes. Also the top two teams from the Scholar Sparks category will be representing India at the Intel-University of California, Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge 2009
Award Details
Scholar Sparks Category:
First Prize: Rs. 3 lakhs cash award
Also an opportunity to participate at the Intel-University of California, Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge 2009
Team Name: Intraosseous Device
Team Members & Institute: Jayant Sitaram Karve & Srinivas Kiran Jaggu; Stanford India Biodesign Centre, (AIIMS) New Delhi
Business Plan Description:
IntraOz is a novel medical device start up which aims to provide an alternative to difficult intravenous (IV) access in medical emergencies. This technology comprises of applying progressive vacuum at needle tip as it progresses inside the marrow and gives visual indication. Fluids and medications infused via IO lines reach the central circulation in equivalent speed of intravenous infusion. The market potential for IntraOz will be an estimated 1.3 million patients (including pediatrics & adults) annually.
Second Prize: Rs. 1 lakh cash award
Also an opportunity to participate at the Intel-University of California Berkeley Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge 2009
Team Name: µSpore
Team Members & Institute: Prabhakar Kulkarni, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune
Business Plan Description:
µSpore is a novel patented technology for long term storage and transportation of DNA samples using sporopollenin microcapsules isolated from spores and pollen grains, which are in the form of micronic or sub-micronic capsules. The application areas for the technology cover forensic science, health care, pharmaceuticals, medicine, military and basic research. The technology is cheaper, eco-friendly & easy-to-handle and will be accessible and affordable to users even from economically underprivileged nations.
Third Prize: Rs. Fifty Thousand cash award
Team Name: Indigenous Dental Implants
Team Members & Institute: Dr. Manjeet Mapara & S.M. Abdul Khader; Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal Institute of Technology
Business Plan Description:
Indigenous Dental Implants is a project that attempts to make a new biotechnology accessible to the general Indian population and also to enhance the surgical skills of Indian dentists in the field of Implantology. The technology involves a special laser treated bioactive surface for the dental implant which is superior & cheaper compared to all the contemporary implants in the market. The product aims at attracting a huge market comprising of upper middle class & middle class population in India with the cost advantage.
Honorable Mentions:
Team Name: Innovation Challenger Kolkata
Team Members & Institute: Dr. Sudipta Saha, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata
Prize: Rs. 25000 cash award
Business Plan Description:
This project deals with a unique computer-based spectrophotometric system to determine "vertical velocity" of the spermatozoa. It has been developed using the turbidimetric method of sperm motility analysis. This technology will be extremely helpful for treatment of human infertility and planning of animal breeding programmes. The potential market will comprise of various human infertility clinics, sperm banks, animal breeding centers, research laboratories and centers for conservation of endangered species, etc
Team Name: The Mavericks
Team Members & Institute: Nakul Khanna & Abhinav Bansal, G.D. Goenka Public School, Delhi
Prize: Rs. 25000 cash award
Business Plan Description:
This team has developed a Massaging Shoe. The idea is to provide solutions for people suffering from daily stress by incorporating massaging devices in their shoes. These devices are small enough to fit into an ordinary shoe and are powered by rechargeable batteries so that they can be used on the go and doesn’t require one to carry around bulky massaging devices. Along with its massaging effect it also has a therapeutic effect; hence it will be a boon to those suffering from lifestyle disease such as diabetic feet, etc.
Champion of Champions Category
First Prize: The Jury recommended that no proposal was found worthy of the first prize under this category
Second Prize: Rs. 1 lakh cash award
Team Name: Charismatic Chair
Team Members & Institute: Dr. Mandeep Singh Sethi & Rahul Katyal, Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi
Business Plan Description:
This project involves manufacturing and marketing of a multipurpose wheelchair in Indian / international market targeted for children with cerebral palsy in age group of 4 to 7 years. The chair is equipped with various detachable devices used to exercise different body parts of the child. The idea is to create a device based on play therapy so as to get the child involved in his rehabilitation. Charismatic Chair can be used in homes, special education schools, rehabilitation centres, physiotherapy and occupational therapy clinics, disability centres, and hospitals.
Third Prize: Rs. Fifty Thousand cash award
Team Name: Spandan
Team Members & Institute: Varun Jain & Shikhar Gupta, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad.
Business Plan Description:
The aim of this project is to manufacture a good quality and cheap acoustic material from carpet industry waste. The great dampening and sound absorbing quality of carpet wastes (mainly wool) and also jute, presents a golden opportunity to recycle this waste and to make a good quality and very cheap acoustic material. Demand for acoustics material is increasing in India and hence this product has a great market potential on account of its low cost.
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