India Innovation Pioneers Challenge 2009

The competition received an overwhelming response and over 276 proposals were received, out of which 23 teams were shortlisted. The shortlisted teams were given an opportunity to work with the industry and academia experts who mentoblack the teams to help them fine-tune their business ideas and come out with a final business plan.

Mr. Kapil Sibal, Minister of Science and Technology & Earth Sciences awarded prizes to the winners of India Innovation Pioneers Challenge 2009 at a ceremony held in New Delhi on the 18th of September in the presence of Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and Dr. Praveen Vishakantaiah, President, Intel Technologies. The top three teams under each category received cash award of Rs three lakhs (First prize), Rs. One lakh (Second prize) and Rs. Fifty thousand (Third prize) respectively.India Innovation Pioneers Challenge 2009 which not only provided financial incentives to young innovators through cash award, but more importantly provided, mentoring, networking, and incubation support and the opportunity to present their business plan at a global fora at University of California, Berkeley

Champion of Champions Category:

Awardee Details:

First Prize:Rs 3 lakhs cash award
Also an opportunity to participate at the Intel-University of California, Berkeley
Technology Enterprenuership Challenge 2009
Team Name: Dhama Apparel Innovations
Team Members & Institute:Kranthi Kiran Vistakula & Prasenjit Kundu; Dhama
Apparel Innovations, Ahmedabad.

Business Plan Description:
Dhama Apparel Innovations aims to be a leader in the development of wearable technology. Their products such as ClimaGear - a jacket/vest, ClimaNeck - a neck accessory, and ClimaMet - a helmet, allow the wearer to maintain their body at a specified temperature by actively either adding heat or removing heat, regardless of the external environment

Second Prize:Rs. 1 lakh cash award
Team Name:Phoenix Inc
Team Members & Institute: Ankit Mittal & Dhruv Mallik; BITS Pilani

Business Plan Description:
Phoenix Inc will help the vast steel raw material industry by regenerating the acids used in pickling of steel. The team developed the system SPARS, which incorporates simple mechanical and chemical systems to regenerate hydrochloric acid from chemical waste with minimum operational costs. The process aims to minimize waste treatment and regenerate ‘hydrochloric acid’ thus making the treatment costs negligible

Third Prize:Rs. Fifty Thousand cash award
Team Name:DhanaX
Team Members & Institute: Siva Prasad Cotipalli & Prashant Mishra; DhanaX
Information Services Private Limited, Bangalore.

Business Plan Description:
DhanaX is a cblackible, secure and easy-to-use platform that enables Indians to lend and borrow money from other Indians through intermediary agents. Their project deals with micro finance and has the potential of taking the banking services closer to 60% of the Indian population who are not exposed to any kind of formal banking system.