SmartIDEAthon: Odisha Student Wins Rs 2 Lakh, Trip to Boston for His Innovation

New Delhi: In an exhilarating grand finale of the ‘SmartIDEAthon 2023’ — an annual pan-India mega pitch-fest organised by GITAM Deemed to be university, young entrepreneur Anup Paikaray bagged the winner’s title, a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and a fully sponsored trip to Boston.

Presenting to an eminent jury, Anup a student of the Odisha University of Technology and Research made a winning pitch for his startup Newrup Tech Solutions.

He developed heat-powered air blowers to harness excess heat from Chulas or Tandoors, converting it into rotational energy for an internal fan, at just Rs 500.

“It thereby seeks to impact the lives of over two billion women still cooking on traditional chulhas/mud stoves worldwide,” the jury members said.

The University said that winners and runners-up won personalised coaching and boot camps by internationally-trained venture coaches, a sponsored trip to the USA to showcase at Boston Entrepreneurship Week, and cash and grants worth INR 30 Lakh for winners and runners-up.

Shortlisted from over 1000 pan-India entries, the finalists refined their pitches in a series of advanced boot camps and personalised mentoring by internationally trained venture coaches. The finale took place in person at GITAM’s University campus on August 25.

Pawan Kumar Chandana, Skyroot Aerospace co-founder and ex-ISRO scientist said, “Entrepreneurship gives immense satisfaction and helps create impact and employment. A career in space tech is a very rewarding and satisfying experience for every engineer. Space can sustain trillions of people because of the resources. It is an exciting future for all of humanity.”

Krish Nangegadda, Chief Innovation Officer, GITAM (Deemed to be University) said, “Entrepreneurship education gives you skills that you can use anywhere.

According to the university as runners-up, Vineet Kumar and Manish Bibhu, students of Sershah Engineering College in Bihar won Rs 1 lakh for POLYFUELER, which is working on revolutionising waste management by transforming diverse plastic waste into fuel, powered by a proprietary catalyst.

(IANS)