IIT Delhi showcases 1.8 lakh young innovators in India's largest school ideathon

The Youth Ideathon 2024, India's largest entrepreneurship competition for school students, successfully concluded in New Delhi, attracting over 1.8 lakh young innovators. The event showcased the creativity and ingenuity of the Top 100 finalists at IIT Delhi, celebrating the spirit of innovation among India's youth.

The 4th edition of the 'Youth Ideathon 2024,' India's largest entrepreneurship competition for school students, concluded in New Delhi, bringing together over 1.8 lakh young innovators from more than 5,000 schools across the country. The Top 100 teen innovators showcased their ideas at IIT Delhi, marking the grand finale of the event.

Organised by ThinkStartup and the Management & Entrepreneurship Professional Skills Council (MEPSC), in association with CBSE and IIT Delhi, the Youth Ideathon focusses on fostering innovation amongst students from Classes 4 to 12. The event was attended by key figures from various industries, including Prof. Narayanan D Kurur, Dean (Academics) at IIT Delhi, and R K Singh, CGM of SIDBI, amongst others.

Dr Biswajit Saha, Director (Skill Education & Training), CBSE, Ministry of Education, Government of India, expressed his enthusiasm for the event, "The overwhelming response to Youth Ideathon 2024 is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of India's young minds. CBSE is proud to support initiatives like this, which cultivate creativity, problem-solving skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset from a young age."

Six standout teams were awarded an incubation grant of INR 1 lakh each for their innovative ideas. These teams include Vidyashilp Academy for a water conservation solution, Sanskriti School for an AI-based multilingual learning platform, and Lilawati Sr Sec School for an affordable clean air chimney for MSMEs.

The competition also featured real-world entrepreneurship experiences, where students could list and raise investments for their innovations through The Kid Company, earning INR 40 lakh in crowdfunding. Dr Biswajit Saha, Director of CBSE's Skill Education & Training, praised the event for inspiring entrepreneurial mindsets among India's youth.

With more than 53,000 teams submitting their initial ideas and 1,500 advancing to the final stages, Youth Ideathon 2024 showcased the creative potential of India’s young minds. This platform continues to promote entrepreneurship, helping students turn their innovative ideas into reality.