3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021: It is a great opportunity for candidates who want to participate in the innovative world. Participants must be under 30 years and should be born in or post 1991. You should be permanent residents of India. You should not be current 3M employees, interns, or trainees. The last date of registration of 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021 is 22 July 2021 at 08:00 AM IST. Team Size: 1 – 3 Members
Important Dates of 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards:
| Registration Deadline | 22 Jul’21 08:00 AM IST |
| Entry Submission Deadline | 22 Jul’21 08:00 AM IST |
Rewards and Prizes of 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards:
| Idea Prize Winner (Seed Fund): | Rs 9,00,000 and 3 Idea Prize Seed Funds worth 3,00,000 each are available (one under each category of innovation – Product, Service or Rural / Remote / Inclusive) with Participation Certificate |
| Impact Prize Winner (Seed Fund): | Rs 9,00,000 and 3 Impact Prize Seed Funds worth 3,00,000 each are available (one under each category of innovation – Product, Service or Rural / Remote / Inclusive) with Participation Certificate |
| Six best early-stage innovations Recognition | Six best early-stage innovations of the season will be showcased at CII’s India Innovation Summit to be held from 14th -18th September 2021 with Participation Certificate |
3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021: Stages and Timelines:
| Entry Form Submission The registered teams can complete their idea submissions here | 12 Jul’21 03:30 PM IST – 22 Jul’21 08:00 AM IST |
| QnA Session Join live today on Dare2Compete’s YouTube channel to resolve all your queries and to submit your unique ideas. | 17 Jul’21 04:30 PM IST – 17 Jul’21 05:30 PM IST |
| Virtual Pitching Session The semi-finalists will be selected basis the shortlisting of their ideas. | 26 Jul’21 11:00 AM IST – 31 Jul’21 07:30 PM IST |
| 3M Panel Review for Finalists Selection During this round, selected semi-finalists from the previous round will pitch virtually for the Finalists position. | 17 Aug’21 10:00 AM IST – 19 Aug’21 06:00 PM IST |
| Grand Jury This will be the virtual finale pitching round to select the Winners of the season. | 27 Aug’21 10:00 AM IST – 27 Aug’21 06:00 PM IST |
| Participation Feedback What value does this opportunity bring to the innovators? | 05 Sep’21 10:00 AM IST – 31 Dec’21 11:59 PM IST |
All that you need to know about 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021
Since 2014, 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards Program has been recognizing and promoting youth-led innovations that have the potential to bring about sustainable impact in our society. The Challenge has completed 7 successful editions and awarded more than 40 young innovators giving rise to 5000+ ideas for impact. Take a look at the Hall of Fame section of our website to view all the winners across all seasons. In 2021, the Challenge is back to discover the next generation of innovators who give us hope for a positive future.
History has repeatedly shown that a crisis necessitates innovation. While the pandemic has disrupted our society globally forcing the world to rethink, reimagine and adapt, science and sustainability have forged new opportunities across sectors. In 2020, the Challenge recognized ideas for a resilient India. Innovation helps us venture into the unknown. 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021 is calling for “Ideas that inspire hope for a resurgent India” and have the potential to restore and reshape society as we emerge out of the pandemic.
3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards will showcase the six best early-stage innovations of the season at CII’s India Innovation Summit to be held from 14th-18th September. Additionally, 3M India will offer a seed funding of INR 3,00,000 to each of the six awardees to help further their work as well as provide a variety of media opportunities, access to professional networks, and mentoring.
Submissions are invited across sectors, i.e. health, education, livelihood, environment, art & culture, governance, and/or inclusive development, under three categories –
- Product Innovation – if the idea has a tangible offering.
- Service Innovation– if the offering is creating a wider impact based on intangible elements.
- Rural and Inclusive Innovation – addressing the needs of remote, rural, and vulnerable communities.
Through their philanthropy partner, United Ways Bengaluru, 3M India offers seed funding of INR 3,00,000 each to the 6 winning projects – two prizes under each category, i.e.
- Idea Prizefor innovations at project stagewithout an institution.
- Impact Prizefor innovations part of early-stage organizations with less than 4 years of existence.
Participation Eligibility:
All participants of the Challenge must be:
- Under 30 years of age and should be born on or post 1991.
- Should be permanent residents of India.
- Should not be current 3M employees, interns, or trainees.
- Make submissions in English.
- Should not make any submission of an idea to promote or market 3M or its products.
Challenge Guidelines:
The Challenge aims to search, identify, recognize and support innovators who can contribute towards sustainable development, addressing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) stated by the United Nations. All submissions must conform to the following:
- Provide a strong proof of concept in the form of:
- Minimum Viable Project if at the idea stage.
- Prototype of the tested models if in early stages of an organization and eligible for impact prize.
- Provide evidence of impact in the form of:
- The projection with market feedback for Idea Stage submissions
- Primary feedback from stakeholders as a part of a dipstick of the prototype for institutionalised innovations
- Demonstrate leadership abilities to drive the idea in the form of:
- Eventual vision and plan over the next 6 months for Idea Prize Submissions
- The way forward for early-stage institutions or organizations for Impact Prize entries
- Financial Sustainability without Award Seed Fund in sync with:
- Project Plans over next 6 months for Idea Prize entries
- Business Plan for early-stage organizations under Impact Prize
- Award Seed Funding utilization in the form of:
- the specific impact on the project viability or innovator’s capacity
- Organizational capacity enhancement
- State contribution to which Sustainable Development Goal(s) stated by United Nations (UN SDG 2030)
The Challenge is open to submissions from anywhere in India, but the participating innovations, ideas, and initiatives must be relevant to our country’s context.
Submissions under Product and Service Innovation Categories:
- Are open to individuals, teams, and organizations with impactful innovation.
- Idea Prize entries must have a clear one-year plan with endline of the project.
- Impact Prize entries must ensure that their organizational age is less than 4 years from the date of registration.
- Innovations presented should not have been awarded by any other major National or State level awards program previously.
Nominations under Rural & Inclusive Innovation Category:
- Nominations (both self and third party) must focus on grassroots innovation creating positive social change at the bottom of the pyramid.
- Self-nominations must mention recommendations from individuals or organizations who are aware of the idea or the project presented.
- Anyone or any organization can submit a nomination for a credible remote innovator with worthwhile reference for due diligence that should include their contact information such as direct email and mobile numbers.
- Innovation must serve vulnerable communities in rural or remote areas or underserved communities in an urban setup.
- The nomination could be of an individual or leadership team of an early-stage organization.
- The nomination should not have been previously awarded (such as major National or State level awards, Chief Minister’s Awards, and Corporate Prizes)
- All nominations should adhere to the age criteria of the “Challenge” that is mentioned in the eligibility section.
Assessment Criteria:
- Product and Service Innovations:
- Concept: Envisioning is the most powerful basis for developing it into a project. The concept has to be dynamic in nature and should contribute to positive change-making in the sphere of its relevance. Best entries, through their innovation, will not only address a need or solve a problem but also seize an opportunity for growth and leadership in a new space. The ideas presented must hence be expansive of their overall plan of design, development, and implementation.
- Innovation: We are looking for the “game-changers” or “changemakers”, those who can lead the future with their idea. The best entries will demonstrate how through creative approaches and solutions, an existing need or problem is being solved. However, problem-solving need not seek permanent intervention, but an intervention with a sustainable impact. The innovation must be able to present evidence of various distinctive advantages over other alternatives. Additionally, the submissions must propose a unique value proposition in relation to the cost of opportunity versus economic feasibility for its benefits. Such solutions (be it a product, application, service or practice/initiative, or hybrid combinations of existing tools) must be capable of being prototyped. Ideas presented do not have to involve inventing something entirely new, but entries should describe how the ideas are original.
- Measurable Impact: Entries should be able to explain how the idea has the ability to deliver a positive measurable impact on society at large (e.g. accessibility or affordability or inclusiveness). The best projects will tackle a root problem or social issue making an impact.
- Financial Sustainability: Ideas presented should have a clear plan to reach long-term goals. The strongest entries will outline how their solution can be sustained without relying on philanthropic donations or aid for core funding. If ideas are already at work, they should demonstrate fiscal responsibility and marketplace validation.
- Governance: To ensure and identify how well the innovative idea can be incorporated into a practical scenario of various parts of the country. This includes its potential for collaboration with other entities. Further engagement of citizens in order to implement the same is also analyzed.
- Potential: The potential of the project, idea, or innovation to be scaled up for greater impact and opportunities to connect with other networks.
- Nominations for Rural & Inclusive Innovations: These submissions will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Vision and leadership (including personal journey or the motivation behind the idea)
- Concept and approach for addressing the identified social problem
- Profile of Beneficiaries Targeted (i.e. while the idea must adhere to the rural context, the target audience will also be important criteria to evaluate relevance, inclusiveness, and futuristic approach in developing last-mile communities)
- Ability to create multi-level partnerships for sustaining the innovation for long term
- Impact and milestones either achieved or planned
The Challenge is looking for young innovators with the potential to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations to be achieved by 2030.
Apply Link/Registration Link of 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021: Click Here
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