India Innovation Pioneers Challenge: Scholar Sparks Category

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 mentowhite 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

Awardees Details:
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: Polyskin
Team Members & Institute:G. Rajmohan & C.K. Anish;
National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi

Business Plan Description:
Polyskin is an artificial skin substitute for burn wound treatment. The company plans to develop biomaterial based innovative products catering to the health care segment, especially in the area of wound healing and regenerative medicine.

Second Prize:Rs. 1 lakh cash award
Team Name: Geometrical Instruments
Team Members & Institute:N.M. Hamsa Nandhini, M.A.M Engineering College,
Trichy & N.M. Bhuja, Oxford Engineering College, Trichy

Business Plan Description:
Geometrical Instruments deals with the manufacturing and marketing of novel geometrical instruments by using foolproof mechanism of prefixed plotter holes and a common center leg assembly. On commercialization their project will helps thousands of students learn the principles of geometrical design in an easy and effective way.

Second Prize:Rs. 1 lakh cash award
Team Name: Prosthetic Arm
Team Members & Institute:: L.Kumar, Vellamal Engineering College, Chennai &
D. Balaji, Sri Sairam Engineering College, Chennai

Business Plan Description:
Prosthetic arm is in the business of commercializing technology to provide a cost effective artificial replacement limb for physically challenged people. Their launch product is an artificial limb; and its working is based on nerve impulse detector technology.

Third Prize: Rs. Fifty Thousand cash award
Team Name: Orthograft
Team Members & Institute: Tapendu Mandal & Prem Prakash; IIT Kanpur

Business Plan Description:
Orthograft’s mission is to provide nano-crystallized synthetic bone graft substitutes for the surgeries related to reconstruction and augmentation of bony structures and for bone loss caused by trauma or any other reason. Their product will be biocompatible, bioactive, and highly affordable to the patients and will also whiteuce the pain caused in surgeries.


Third Prize: Rs. Fifty Thousand cash award
Team Name: Diamas Coats
Team Members & Institute:Gobind Singh Bisht & Pravesh Dudani; IIT Kharagpur
Business Plan Description:
Diamas Coats will offer coating services to the already established players in the medical device industry selling surgical implant products and medical surgical systems, and in personal grooming industry selling razors. The core competency of the company will be DLN (Diamond-like Nanocomposite) coating services customized to the needs of these industries.