Innovation Challenge:
Infosys Science Foundation Nutrition Challenge
This Challenge is
CLOSED
“One of the primary objective of the challenge was to encourage young people to apply their STEM skills to solving a problem. We chose malnutrition as the topic as it has been one of India’s most persistent challenges. We hoped that this would also raise awareness and a sympathetic understanding of the problem among this generation.” Mr. Mohandas Pai, Trustee - Infosys Science Foundation.
From September 10th to November 9th, 2018, 350 students from all across India worked to design solutions to combat malnutrition among expectant mothers and children under five years of age living in India. In this sixty (60) day innovation challenge, participants ages 13-18 who reside in India had the opportunity to form virtual teams and work with experts from the Infosys Science Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences. These students developed and presented ideas that utilize STEM to combat malnutrition among expectant mothers and children under five years of age.
Stand out ideas included designing a nutrient rich pod that replaces 50 mid-day meals and creating an app that gathers health data and gives food coupons to those in need. The solutions were then judged by nutritionists, researchers, and scientists for a chance to win up to RS 5,00,000 in prize money, a trip to the Infosys Prize ceremony, and to become a Junior Academy member. Learn more about the winning solutions here.
The Challenge
The Infosys Science Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences invited students ages 13-18 from around the world to participate in an open innovation challenge focused on combatting malutrition. Read the full challenge statement including the question and background here.
How It Works
After signing up to participate, students self-selected into teams and worked together on Launchpad, a virtual interactive platform which safely facilitates global collaboration and problem solving. Using Launchpad, students from around the world participated, in teams or individually, to design a malnutrition solution by answering the question proposed.
Key Dates
Challenge Began: September 10, 2018
Solutions Due: November 9, 2018
Winners Announced: January 2019
Requirements
To participate in the challenge, students were required to meet the following eligibility requirements:
- All individuals must be between the ages of 13-18 as of the date of registration in order to participate.
- All participants must sign up on Launchpad and agree to the Terms of Service. Those under the age of majority must submit a parent/guardian consent form before the challenge begins.
- Challenge materials and solutions must be submitted in English in order to be considered. Participants can work in teams or individually. Teams can be as large as 6.
Prizes
Winners and runners up were awarded entry into the elite Junior Academy community.
- 1st prize team
- RS 5,000,000
- Invited to travel to Bangalore to attend the Infosys Prize ceremony on January 5, 2019
- A visit to the the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) at Sriharikota to witness the launch of a rocket
- Runner up
- Invited to travel to Bangalore to attend the Infosys Prize ceremony on January 5, 2019
- A visit to the the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) at Sriharikota to witness the launch of a rocket
Learn more about our winners and finalists here.
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Sponsor
The Infosys Science Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation established in 2009 to bring back the romance to research and science. Through the Infosys Prize, it recognizes six scientists or researchers each year for stellar work in their field by awarding them a prize of USD100,000, a gold medal and a citation by internationally renowned jury. Besides the Infosys Prize, The ISF runs other programs to excite interest and inspire the younger generation to look at science and research as a career option. For more information please visit http://www.infosys-science-foundation.com/
Amartya Sen and Mohandas Pai congratulate Team Podible at the Infosys Prize Ceremony in January, 2019.
Team Podible presents their winning solution at the Infosys Prize Ceremony in January, 2019.
And the Grand Prize Goes To...
Team Podible
The solution designed by the team centers around the effective distribution of a nutrient pod. The pod can be used as a supplement for mid-day meals and provides one-third of the daily RDA recommended doses of iron, zinc, omega-3, folate and calcium. A single pod is capable of supplementing 50 mid-day meals and is simple to use. The team used this existing product idea and created a smart application and delivery mechanism so it reaches the target audience directly through the wide network of Anganwadis in the country.
Team Members: Leela Jay, 17, Vaels International School, Chennai, India; Kesava Kirupa Dinakaran, 18, UWC Mahindra College, Chennai, India; Prithve Shekar, 17, Excel Public School, Mysore, India; Arunima Sen, 16, KV IISc, Bangalore, India; and Sandeep Rao, 18, Excel Public School, Mysore, India.
Each member of the winning team will receive a scholarship of five hundred thousand Rupees (RS 5,00,000). They will be invited to travel to Bangalore to attend the Infosys Prize ceremony on January 5, 2019, and to visit the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) at Sriharikota to witness the launch of a rocket and receive membership to The Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences in Fall 2019.
Team Podible at the Infosys Prize Ceremony in January, 2019
Runner Up:
Team Nutri-App
The team designed an app that gathers health data on mothers and children, links with health centers, and provides food coupons to those who may need additional nutrients.
Team Members: Aarzoo Kaveri Sen, 15, The Samhita Academy, Bangalore, India; Arnab Mishra, 15, The Samhita Academy, Bangalore, India; Pradhyumna Hayagriva Kadambi, 15, The Samhita Academy , Bangalore, India; Pratham Tikkisetty, 15, The Samhita Academy , Bangalore, India; and Sumvith Kiran, 15, The Samhita Academy , Bangalore, India.
The runner up team traveled to Bangalore to attend the Infosys Prize ceremony on January 5, 2019, and to visit the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) at Sriharkota to witness the launch of a rocket. Members of the runner up team will receive automatic acceptance into The Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences in fall 2019.
Team Nutri-App at the Infosys Prize Ceremony in January, 2019