7th National Social Enterprise Idea Challenge (India)

Deadline: 31-Jul-23

The Azim Premji University is pleased to announce the 7th National Social Enterprise Idea Challenge.

This is a platform for college and university students from across India to explore and share their innovative social change ideas in a rigorous and competitive fashion.

Each year, they receive about 100 entries for the Idea Challenge. The entries are first shortlisted to 10 – 15 by the Social Enterprise Cell by a panel of University members.

The shortlisted teams are then invited to the final event in Bangalore. They present to a panel of three-member jury consisting of one internal and two external panelists who select the final winners: three winners and sometimes a special category or mention.

Objectives

The Idea Challenge was designed as a yearly flagship event for the Social Enterprise Cell with the following objectives:
- To provide students from all parts of the country an opportunity to explore social entrepreneurship and share their innovative ideas in a rigorous and competitive manner.
- To provide a platform for students to shape their ideas through mentorship support and networking with other budding entrepreneurs in the social entrepreneurial circuit.

Rounds

The idea challenge has two rounds:
- Written round: Student teams of different colleges and universities submit their social venture ideas in a suggested format. It is ideal if the teams could manage some pilot intervention to check feasibility. They are open to both for – profit and not – for – profit models. Team members can be from the same educational institution or different students from different institutions can also form a team. Each team member must be a registered student of any educational institution or graduated from any programme in 2023.
- Final round: 15 teams are shortlisted based on the submissions and are asked to come to their Bengaluru campus for a short presentation of their ideas. A panel of eminent jury members from social enterprise field will evaluate and finally three best ideas are chosen for awards. They offer a cash prize of INR 1 Lakh (in total). Winning teams get good media visibility of their social venture ideas, mentorship and other support from their cell.