IIT Madras, Sony India to announce winners of SAMVEDAN 2021 Grand Challenge tomorrow

CHENNAI: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation partnered with Sony India Software Centre Pvt Ltd to conduct SAMVEDAN 2021, a Grand Challenge Competition (GCC) and using an IoT Sensor Board called ‘SPRESENSE.’ The objective was to solve problems of social relevance to India.

As many as 170 teams (pan India) participated in the event, out of which 75 teams qualified for the quarter-finals. Out of the quarter-finalists, 25 teams moved to semi-finals. Eventually, seven teams have qualified for the finals.

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The Grand Finale of this GCC will be held on March 22 2022 at IIT Madras Research Park. The event will be streamed live on YouTube -Click here to watch live.

The Chief Guest for the event is Taga Masayuki, Consulate General of Japan in Chennai and the Guest of Honour is Akhilesh Jha, Chief Controller of Accounts, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

SAMVEDAN 2021 Grand Challenge: Awards for winners

The winner and runners will be felicitated during this event. Awards for winners and runners are as follows:

• One 1st prize of Rs 1,00,000,
• Two second prizes of Rs 50,000, each,
• A total of four third prizes of Rs 25,000 each.

The individual members of the top 15 teams which participated in the semi-finals will be provided with an opportunity to submit an application for Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) scheme. Selected individuals under this scheme will become eligible for grant up to Rs 35,000 per month for a maximum period of one year.

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On successful completion of the EIR scheme, an opportunity will be provided to apply for incubating a startup company with a grant of upto Rs 50 lakh under the Seed Support Scheme (SSS).

Highlighting the unique aspects of Samvedan 2021, V Kamakoti, IIT Madras Director, and Chairman, IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation, said, “The new digital India will see number of cyber physical systems based on sensors. This Grand Challenge Competition (GCC) has served as a motivation to many to develop sensing solutions of social relevance to our country. At the same time, the SONY - IITM Pravartak collaboration has provided access to state-of-the-art sensor platforms.”

Speaking about this competition, Masayuki Toriumi, managing director, Sony India Software Centre (SISC) Pvt Ltd, said, “Indeed, It is amazing that this wonderful and innovation journey is getting to the final stage. I have to take this opportunity to thank all the team members at both ends, IITM Pravartak and Sony, for everything they have done for this epoch-making milestone. Also, I have to be so proud that SISC can be a part of this team.”

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Further, Masayuki Toriumi said, “Apparently, this milestone should not be an end point of our journey, but another starting line of a new journey for India, IIT Madras and Sony to work together and to collaborate further for our future. Let’s move on to make Amazing India!”