IIT Madras, ranked Number 1 in NIRF’s Sustainability Ranking this year, celebrated the ‘World Sustainability Day’ with the grand finale of the second edition of ‘Ideas to Impact’ (i2I) Challenge.
World Sustainability Day is observed on 26th October as an annual event globally to raise awareness about environmental issues
The event, held in the campus today (25th Oct 2025), showcased 38 eco-innovations developed by young innovators from across India, each aimed at advancing sustainability, circular economy, and climate resilience.
The finale served as the ultimate proving ground in which the teams pitched and demonstrated their finished products to a distinguished panel of investors, faculty, and industry leaders.
Spearheaded by the Sustainability Venture Studio (SVS) within the IIT Madras School of Sustainability, this pioneering initiative empowers college students and early-stage innovators to convert their ideas into viable technologies that tackle pressing environmental challenges.
Supported by the Wipro Foundation, the Ideas to Impact (i2I) program provides participants with mentorship, technical resources, and funding to develop proof-of-concept prototypes for real-world ecological impact.
Addressing the Event, Chief Guest Mr Anurag Mishra I.A.S, Special Secretary, Environment and Climate Change, Govt of Tamil Nadu, said,“Sustain TN is a pioneering initiative of Government of Tamil Nadu to combat climate change through innovation and sustainable development. Under this, 10 entrepreneurs in the field of climate change will be funded with seed money of Rs 10 Lakhs. We are extremely happy and proud to collaborate with IIT Madras which has a strong culture of innovation and entrprenureship.”
Lauding the team driving this pioneering initiative, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said,“Climate change is a problem that need to be collectively addressed at scale. The Demo day gives an opportunity for both the entrepreneurs and investors to present and listen to the ideas leading to stronger relationships. This is the right path to take brilliant ideas to market.”
Further, Prof. Indumathi Nambi, ‘Ideas to Impact’ Coordinator, and Faculty, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, said, “Circular economy and Safe and Sustainable design can go a long way in promoting sustainable manufacturing. Ideas to Impact aims at fostering sustainability thinking in the youth and handhold them to create impactful innovations from their creative ideas. i2I serves to bridge the gap between innovations happening at colleges and research centres across the country and the technology demands of the industry.”
START-UP SEED GRANT
The second edition of Ideas to Impact has witnessed over 3,500 registrations from across the country — a significant rise from 2,500 in 2024. Eighteen finalist teams are presenting their prototypes during the Grand Demo Day, with the top 10 innovations set to receive seed grants of ₹1 lakh each and incubation support at IIT Madras.
Each of the 38 selected teams underwent a six-month development phase to refine their solutions under expert mentorship, culminating in this Demo Day where they pitch before a distinguished panel of investors, industry experts, and IIT Madras faculty.
Sharing the industry perspective, Dr. Palavesa Murugan, Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Head, Ashok Leyland, said, “Human-induced climate change is a challenge that has evolved over the past two centuries, and addressing it demands collective responsibility from all 8.2 billion people across 195 nations. Aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 2050 vision and India’s Net Zero 2070 commitment, we must harness innovation to create sustainable, affordable, and scalable solutions. As India progresses toward a $30 trillion economy by 2047—with economic activity expected to grow nearly fivefold—our growth must remain inclusive and responsible, decoupling emissions from economic expansion while balancing people, planet, and prosperity within the Triple Bottom Line framework.”
The i2I 2.0 initiative builds on the strong foundation of the Carbon Zero Challenge (CZC) — IIT Madras’ flagship sustainability entrepreneurship platform — which has already supported over 100 prototypes with funding exceeding ₹5 crore.
Unlike typical idea competitions, i2I provides end-to-end support, enabling innovators to progress from ideation to incubation.
Over the past four editions, 38 teams from previous cohorts have launched their entrepreneurial journeys, with 13 successful startups now operating in key green sectors including sanitation, waste management, agriculture, water, energy, and sustainable materials.
To further nurture these high-potential innovations, the Carbon Zero Challenge has forged a strategic partnership with NIRMAAN, IIT Madras’ pre-incubation hub. This collaboration provides participants with structured pre-incubation support, access to mentors, investors, and a network of sustainability-driven entrepreneurs.
This partnership ensures that ideas emerging from i2I and CZC can scale beyond prototypes — into globally impactful enterprises contributing to India’s carbon-neutral goals.
The School of Sustainability, IIT Madras, serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, education, and innovation in sustainability science, circular economy, and climate technologies. Through initiatives like the Sustainability Venture Studio and Carbon Zero Challenge, the School aims to foster technology-driven solutions for a sustainable planet.