Samsung has announced the top three winners of the inaugural edition of its CSR initiative Solve for Tomorrow, a national education and innovation competition. The winning teams — Sputnik Brain, Udaan, and Alpha Monitor — get a total grant of ₹1 crore and a six-month incubation by the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi, to strengthen their prototypes, and seek real-world consumer validation for their products and services.
Each of the winning teams received a certificate and a trophy. Each team member also received exciting Samsung products — a Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 laptop and a Samsung Galaxy Buds2. The winning teams also got an 85-inch Samsung Flip interactive digital board each for their respective school or college.
In June this year, as part of its Solve for Tomorrow programme, Samsung invited 16-22 year-olds in India to come up with innovative ideas in the areas of education, environment, healthcare and agriculture, the priority UN Sustainable Development Goals for India, with the aim of transforming the lives of people around them. The program offered to provide support to youth to turn their ideas into action. A record 18,000 plus registrations were received in the inaugural edition.
Know the winners
Sputnik Brain’s Shankar Srinivasan, a 22-year-old from Bengaluru, presented a wearable device that helps reduce stress using safe brain modulation while the all-girl trio of Prisha Dubey, Anupriya Nayak and Vanalika Konwar of Udaan, 16-year-olds from Port Blair and Delhi, have developed eco-friendly, affordable and washable sanitary pads using shredded sugarcane bagasse.
Sixteen-year-old Hemesh Chadalavada of Alpha Monitor from Hyderabad has developed a smart wristband to monitor Alzheimer’s patients and alert their caregivers about changes in their behaviour. The top three winning teams were selected at the Solve for Tomorrow Grand Finale event in New Delhi, where the Top Ten teams made their final pitches and showcased their prototypes to an esteemed Grand Jury.
The jury comprised entrepreneur and mentor Ankur Warikoo, Dr Anil Wali, Managing Director of FITT, IIT Delhi, Dr Archana Chugh, Professor, IIT Delhi, and Dipesh Shah, Managing Director of Samsung R&D Institute, Bangalore.
At the felicitation and awards ceremonyattended by top executives and employees of Samsung, the jury, representatives from FIIT and IIT Delhi, mentors and families of the team members, each member of the top ten teams were presented a certificate from Samsung and IIT Delhi and a hamper comprising Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 laptop and Samsung Galaxy Buds2.
Innocation ecosystem
Presenting the trophy and the grant cheque to the winners, Ken Kang, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia, said, “Youth has the power to innovate and solve the biggest challenges of the world. All the young solvers are the future of India. They have the potential to change India and the world. We are proud of them and will work with them to turn their ideas into action and transform the lives of people.”
“In its first year, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has managed to emerge as an enabler for the Indian innovation ecosystem, creating an exciting community of young innovators. FITT and IIT Delhi are looking forward to incubating and mentoring the top three winners and help them take their ideas for societal impact,” said Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi.