MIF’s Innovation for India Awards are a platform to propel currently hidden, yet potentially game-changing innovators into the limelight. Launched in 2006, these biennial awards are a benchmark for innovation excellence in India. They are a gateway to recognition by the industry’s most eminent leaders and offer enriching connections, unparalleled visibility, storytelling training, and a chance to rapidly accelerate impact through strategic mentorship.
Applications for the 10th edition of the Innovation for India Awards will open in June 2024.
The Innovation for India Awards recognises innovations across three categories.
Recognising for-profit organisations, including startups and corporates
Recognising not-for-profit organisations including individuals, government & philanthropic entities, charitable trusts, multilateral agencies, community foundations, NGOs, and CSR/corporate funds
Recognising peerless Indian organisations bringing seismic shifts in their respective industries, while breaking new ground, globally
The Innovation for India Awards are a symbol of excellence in innovation. They transcend mere acknowledgment, providing innovators with a platform to showcase their ideas before some of India’s most eminent leaders and thinkers, while also catalysing a wave of innovation across the nation with large-scale social, environmental, and economic impact.
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A platform to unveil currently hidden yet potentially transformative Indian innovations. They epitomise excellence in innovation, offering unprecedented visibility and opportunities to amplify impact.
Applying for the Innovation for India Awards 2025 opens doors to:
At the Innovation Day, winners also participate in focused knowledge sessions covering topics, such as strategies for international market expansion, often in collaboration with partners like IIX, workshops addressing organisational culture and development, and training sessions focused on PR and content creation techniques.
The awards recognize innovations in three categories: Business (for-profit), Social (not-for-profit) and Global Gamechangers.
No, the awards are not accompanied by monetary benefits of any sort. However, they provide catalytic opportunities for growth and support, tailormade to benefit innovative startups.
In the Business category, India-based for-profit corporates and start-ups can apply.
In the Social category, India-based not-for-profit organisations including individuals, government entities, philanthropic bodies, charitable trusts, social enterprises, multilateral agencies, community foundations, NGOs, and CSR/corporate funds can apply.
The Global Gamechangers category is not open for applications. The Governing Council of MIF selects the Global Gamechanger, based on recommendations from the ecosystem and the Knowledge Partner.
MIF defines innovation as unique, sustainable, rapidly scalable, and exceptional for-profit and not-for-profit products, services, business models, or efforts with the potential to create large-scale economic, social, or environmental impact on lives in India and around the world. Innovations that have been implemented within the last 8 years as of June of the application year are eligible.
If the innovation has the potential to substantially impact the performance of a for-profit business, it qualifies under the “Business” category. If the innovation has the potential to create a substantial ‘social’ impact, it qualifies under the “Social” category.
The Innovation for India Awards employs a unique and robust evaluation process spanning over eight months, including two rounds of deliberations by an independent jury for each category and thorough on-ground due diligence conducted by an independent knowledge partner.
Applications in the business category are evaluated based on the following four criteria with equal weightage:
Applications in the social category are evaluated based on the following four criteria with equal weightage:
Applications for the 10th edition of the Innovation for India Awards will open in June 2024. Please come back to this page for more details, including the application form, around June 2024.
Applications for the India for Innovation Awards 2025 will tentatively open in June 2024 and remain open for four weeks.
Yes, provided the innovation being submitted under each application is different.
Yes. If a startup has applied for a previous edition of the Awards, they can apply again for an upcoming edition with updated information.
No, applicants are required to submit the application form online only.
All data submitted by the applicants will remain confidential and will be accessed and perused only by our advisors, the MIF team, the Awards jury, and the knowledge partner organisation under strict terms of confidentiality and data protection. The information will be used solely for evaluation and will not be shared with any external parties.
The whole process takes around eight months.
Application window for the Innovation for India Awards under the business and social category usually opens for 4 weeks.
A robust process of first-level application screening is undertaken by our knowledge partner for up to 4 weeks.
Shortlisted applications are thoroughly evaluated by two separate panels of highly distinguished and independent jury members, one each for the business category and the social category of applicants.
The knowledge partner undertakes a deep, on-ground due diligence of the applicants selected by the Jury. This can take about a month.
Second round of evaluation of shortlisted applicants by the Jury, based on the findings of the due diligence.
Grand, in-person finale to showcase & felicitate the winners of the India for Innovation Awards.
Yes. Inputs into the form are saved in the current browser as one types, and an applicant may come back to it at any point within 30 days to complete the application.
The terms and conditions regarding the awards are listed on our website here. By submitting the application form, an applicant is deemed to be accepting these terms and conditions.
Please write to us at innovate@marico.com.
