The third year of 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards is calling for submissions to build a sustainable India

The idea of a better sustainable India has been the key pillar to several economic, skill and development growth projects in the country. These projects are fostered by several government, public and private partnerships, to drive the holistic progress of the country.

And in the course of this holistic progress, there are crucial problems specific to the Indian context pertaining to education, sanitation, and healthcare, which need to be addressed.

Trying to address these challenges is the collaboration between 3M India and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) – Young Innovators Challenge Award 2015, which in its third year aims to find young innovators building solutions to social, economic, and physical challenges faced by India.

So what are they looking for?

In line with the challenge’s vision and endeavour to contribute to the country’s change, the Young Innovators Challenge is searching for disruptive innovations for a ‘Clean, Safe and Sustainable India’, while building efficient, safe and secure urbanisation, across sectors of smart city innovations, waste management, biodiversity, livelihood, healthcare and education, access to resources and even housing & infrastructure.

Criteria for 3M is not just looking at products or technology as solutions, but also fair practices and initiatives for driving a change in mindset.

Open to submissions anywhere from India, 3M expects participating ideas to:

• Have an idea or initiative with proof of concept and layout of working model that does not rely on philanthropy or aid alone.

• Be capable of being piloted and scaled, in case the innovation is at idea stage

• Demonstrate evidence to create change even if based on postulation in case of idea stage solutions.

• Demonstrate leadership abilities of the participant(s) to drive innovation

• Include a coherent and credible short-term plan (one year) for the idea / innovation

• Indicate the difference the award prize and recognition would make to the initiative/innovation

The participating ideas are also expected to apply to the Indian context, keeping in mind the complexities of the Indian society.

Participants can submit their entries before June 15. Finalists and winners will be announced on June 24. The winners will also be felicitated at the CII Innovation Summit on July 28.

The eligibility criteria 

Innovators, team members and organisation founders should be between 18 and 30 years of age, as on or before June 30, 2016, and should be either Indians or permanent residents of India.

3M ideas presented should be at a conceptual stage with proof of concept. Innovations, initiatives or projects at prototype stage, which may have been institutionalised, could also apply, provided the age of the organisations is less than two years.

Ideas should be original, and not have won any awards previously.

Ideas will be assessed on three parameters: innovation (disruption), measurable impact and financial sustainability.

3M is looking for viable solutions that can be prototyped, comprising either new products and practices, newer applications or hybrid combinations of existing tools. The entries should also be able to make a difference technically, while having clear plans to reach long-term goals without any reliance or philanthropic donations or funding.

The winners in technical, non-technical and social category will get a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh each with the runner’s up in each category taking Rs one lakh as prize money.

For more information on the challenge process, eligibility, assessment criteria, timeline and online entry form, please write to [email protected] or click here.