Department of Science and Technology (DST), Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and Intel Higher Education Program have partnered on building technology entrepreneurship programs in India. The main objective of the program was to focus on entrepreneurial ecosystem in India, boost entrepreneurial spirit in Indian academia and scientific enterprises through business plan competitions, and to build a curriculum on technology entrepreneurship for Indian academia.

Indian Innovation Pioneers Challenge 2007-08 is an innovative technology business plan competition that provides an unparalleled avenue of opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs to explore and share ideas and gain insight for commercializing their venture through the mentoring and networking support that are integral to the competition. The Competition reaches out to the best research institutions, research labs, entrepreneurship-fostering networks and industrial associations across India and affiliates with to find the technologies and teams that can have the greatest impact.

The India Innovation Pioneers challenge is held in two categories; Scholar Sparks: Students from best technology institutions, Medical institutions and B Schools having a innovative technology business plan participate under this category. The second category is known as Champion of Champions; under this category top 3 winners of reputed business plan competitions along with prominent Technology business Incubators in India would compete.

For the 2008 competitions 258 entries were received for scholar sparks and 14 technology business plans were short listed for finals, under the champions of champions 9 proposals were short listed. Participants presented their innovation and business plans to a jury of 9 members consisting of eminent personalities like Mr. Rajdeep Sahrawat, Vice President, NASSCOM, Mr. H. K. Mittal, Adviser & Head,  NSTEDB, Department of Science & Technology, Mr. Saurabh Srivastava, President, TiE New Delhi, Dr. Arabinda Mitra, Executive Director, Indo-US Science & Technology Forum, Dr. A.S. Rao, Scientist - G Department of Scientific & Industrial Research and others.

The following are the technology business plans short listed by the jury for awards:

Scholar Sparks Category

Project Name Participant Name Name of Institution Project Summary Diamas Coats Gobind Singh Bisht and Pravesh Dudani IIT Kharagpur The projects deals with providing a novel coating services to health care, surgical and personnel grooming industry. The services of this project deal with use of DLN (Diamond-like Nanocomposite) coating services Geometrical Instruments N.M. Bhuja and N.M. Hamsa Nandhini Oxford Engineering College, Trichy and ICFAI National College, Trichy The project deals with the 'Manufacturing and marketing of novel geometrical instruments.' by using foolproof mechanism of prefixed plotter holes and a common center leg assembly. On commercialization their projects will helps thousands of students learn the principles of geometrical design in a easy and effective way Orthograft Tapendu Mandal and Prem Prakash IIT Kanpur The project deals with developing highly affordable, bio active and bio compatible Nano-Crystallized synthetic bone graft substitutes, their product on commercialization will immensely help the bio medical field in surgeries related to reconstruction and augmentation of bony structures Polyskin G. Rajmohan and C.K. Anish NII New Delhi The Project deals with developing biomaterial based innovative products catering to the health care segment, especially in the area of wound healing and regenerative medicine and will immensely help as skin grafts for burns and wounds Prosthetic Arm L. Kumar and D. Balaji Vellamal Engineering College, Chennai And Sri Sairam Engineering College, Chennai The Project deals with developing a cost effective artificial replacement limb for physically challenged people. Their launch product is an artificial limb; working based on nerve impulse detector technology, on commercialization this project will immensely help the physically handicapped individuals

Champions of Champions Category

Project Name Participant Name Name of Institution Project Summary Dhama Apparel Innovations Kranthi Kiran Vistakula and Prasenjit Kundu Dhama Apparel Innovations, Ahmedabad Their Project deals with innovation in wearable technology, their end products are jackets, vests, helmets, neck accessories that can regulate and maintain a desired temperature irrespective of environmental conditions. Their products promises to improve the living conditions of people working in diverse segments such Military operations and other professions demanding work in harsh weather conditions PHOENIX INC Ankit Mittal and Dhruv Malik BITS, Pilani Their innovation will help the vast steel raw material industry by regenerating the acids used in pickling of steel. This innovation in steel making processes will be in harmony with environment with its characteristic feature of low cost of investment and operations. DhanaX Shiv Prasad and Prashant Mishra DhanaX Technologies, Banglaore The project deals with micro finance and has the potential of taking the banking services to close to 60% of Indian population who are not exposed to any kind of formal banking system. This banking model will impact large number of investors and borrowers with its ease of implementation and fool proof system.

Snap Shots of India Innovation Pioneers Challenge