i4C Announces Idea Challenge For Disruptive Ideas

i4C (Inter-Institutional Inclusive Innovations Centre) is a non-profit organization, established to support high potential innovations and make them market ready. i4C is based on a unique Public-Private-People-Media Partnership Model and is a joint effort of multiple individuals, institutes and companies who share a common goal of promoting the culture of innovation in India. The primary objective of i4C is to scout, showcase and mentor technology innovators and help them take to market innovations that have the potential to positively impact the quality of life of our citizens. 

As part of these efforts, i4C announced the i4C Idea Challenge-2014, a pan-India Idea and Innovation competition with the objective to identify disruptive ideas for solving problems relevant to a large cross-section of our population. The i4C Idea Challenge-2014 is open for all and ideas can be submitted online at www.i4C.co.in.  The last date for submission of Ideas is October 31, 2014.

Anand Deshpande, Founding Director of i4C and Chairman and Managing Director, Persistent Systems on the occasion of the launch said, “I am excited about the formation of i4C.  We have a large number of innovators in our country who have ideas that are simply outstanding.  It is our responsibility to build an eco-system to help these innovators take their ideas through various stages of development and to ensure that they can be mass-produced for the citizens of our country. I am delighted that i4C has made helping inventors its mission.” 

Second Founding Director, Arun Jamkar, Vice Chancellor, MUHS said, “Through ‘i4C Idea challenge’, an attempt is being made to systematically harness the creativity and energy of our youth; the ‘real demographic dividend’ for solving problems of our nation”. He further added, “All the submitted ideas will be thoroughly screened through a multi-stage review mechanism and the truly innovative ideas will be felicitated, showcased and promoted aggressively. Possibility of funding the selected ideas would also be explored through the i4C network.”

Some prominent members supporting i4C include Dr. Arun Jamkar, Vice Chancellor, MUHS, Nashik; Dr. Anand Deshpande, Chairman, CEO & MD, Persistent Systems; Mrs. Pratima Kirloskar, President, Innovations Society, Kirloskar Brothers; Mr. Ravi Pandit, Chairman & CEO, KPIT; Mr. Hemant Joshi, Partner, Deloitte; Mr. Ganesh Natarajan, Vice Chairman & CEO, Zensar; Mr. Pramod Chaudhari, Executive Chairman, Praj Industries; Mr. Vivek Sawant, Managing Director, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL); Dr. Anil Sahasrabuddhe, Director, COEP; Mr. Sunil Karad, Executive Director, MIT;  Mrs. Swati Mujumdar, Director of Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning and Principal Director of Symbiosis Open Education Society, Symbiosis; Mr. Pradeep Bhargava, Director, Cummins India Ltd; Mr. Ajay Phatak, Vice President & Pune Center Head, Symphony Teleca; Mr. Abhay Gadgil, Partner, PN Gadgil and Sons; and Mr. Prataprao Pawar, Chairman, Sakal Media Group.

Mission of i4C:

* Productizing 100 innovations for positively impacting lives of 1.2 billion Indians in next 3 years.

*  Jump start an ‘Innovation Movement’ for transforming India.

* Celebrating the ability of Indians to innovate under constraints.

* Establishing the best and biggest platform in India for innovators to showcase their innovations to various funding agencies, industrial houses and masses.

* Encouraging Indian society to think ‘out of the box’ through ‘i4C Grand Challenge’ and ‘i4C Idea Challenge’.

* Harnessing the power of science, technology, and creativity to develop affordable and quality products.