Minister Sirsa launches 1st-ever Industrial Ideathon for students

New Delhi: In a landmark initiative to foster innovation and youth-led solutions for industrial challenges, Delhi’s Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the launch of the Delhi Industrial Ideathon 2025, a first-of-its-kind student tech competition aimed at solving real-world problems through creative thinking and emerging technologies.

“Delhi Industrial Ideathon 2025 is more than just a competition, it is a platform where the brightest minds of the country will collaborate to solve the pressing issues facing our industries. Like everywhere else, in industries too, innovation is the solution,” said Manjinder Singh Sirsa while chairing a review meeting with officials of the Industries Department and DSIIDC.

Scheduled for July/August 2025, the event will bring together over 120 student teams from more than 30 top educational institutions, forming an innovation sprint spread over two days. With a prize pool exceeding Rs.80 lakh, the competition will award Rs.10 lakh to the winner, Rs.7.5 lakh to the runner-up, and Rs.5 lakh to the second runner-up, along with several consolation prizes.

Each team, comprising 2–4 members, must include at least one female participant and is encouraged to be interdisciplinary. “This initiative reflects our government’s commitment to digital transformation, youth empowerment, and inclusive growth through entrepreneurship,” the Minister added. The Ideathon focuses on four high-impact sectors, Traditional and Village Industries, Frontier Technologies, Green Technologies, and Trade & Logistics. Each sector has been allocated Rs.20 lakh from the total prize fund. The Delhi Industrial Ideathon 2025 encourages student innovation through projects judged on innovation, feasibility, relevance, impact, and advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain. Top teams will gain mentorship, media exposure and potential partnerships.