Azim Premji University will host the 10th edition of its National Social Enterprise Idea Challenge on October 9, 2026 — and student founders with a social-impact idea still have a front-row view of how these grants get won.
Launched in 2016, the challenge gives college and university students a platform to develop and present solutions to social and environmental challenges. Ten teams have been shortlisted for this year's final, representing institutions including IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati, IIM Kashipur and Azim Premji University.
The shortlisted ideas span child safety, rural innovation, waste management, water conservation, healthcare, women's livelihoods, accessibility and sustainable fashion — including the AI-powered child-safety platform CipherGuard, leak-detection solution JalRakshak and AI-enabled digital stethoscope JivaScope.
Winning teams will receive grants worth Rs 2 lakh. The event will also feature presentations, a panel discussion, cultural performances and around 45 enterprise stalls — a solid networking ground for early-stage social-enterprise founders.
Why it matters for founders
Student-focused idea challenges like this are among the earliest non-dilutive capital available to social-enterprise founders — and the shortlist reads like a map of where impact innovation is heading (AI safety, water, health devices). If you're a student founder, these platforms also double as talent and mentor discovery.