3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021
3M
3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021: Stages and Timelines
Entry Form Submission
The registered teams can complete their idea submissions here.
QnA Session
Join live today on Dare2Compete's YouTube channel to resolve all your queries and to submit your unique ideas.
Virtual Pitching Session
The semi-finalists will be selected basis the shortlisting of their ideas.
3M Panel Review for Finalists Selection
During this round, selected semi-finalists from the previous round will pitch virtually for the Finalists position.
Grand Jury
This will be the virtual finale pitching round to select the Winners of the season.
Participation Feedback
What value does this opportunity bring to the innovators?
All that you need to know about 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021
Since 2014, 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards Program has been recognizing and promoting youth-led innovations that have the potential to bring about sustainable impact in our society. The Challenge has completed 7 successful editions and awarded more than 40 young innovators giving rise to 5000+ ideas for impact. Take a look at the Hall of Fame section of our website to view all the winners across all seasons. In 2021, the Challenge is back to discover the next generation of innovators who give us hope for a positive future.
History has repeatedly shown that a crisis necessitates innovation. While the pandemic has disrupted our society globally forcing the world to rethink, reimagine and adapt, science and sustainability have forged new opportunities across sectors. In 2020, the Challenge recognized ideas for a resilient India. Innovation helps us venture into the unknown. 3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards 2021 is calling for “Ideas that inspire hope for a resurgent India” and have the potential to restore and reshape society as we emerge out of the pandemic.
3M-CII Young Innovators Challenge Awards will showcase the six best early-stage innovations of the season at CII’s India Innovation Summit to be held from 14th-18th September. Additionally, 3M India will offer a seed funding of INR 3,00,000 to each of the six awardees to help further their work as well as provide a variety of media opportunities, access to professional networks, and mentoring.
Submissions are invited across sectors, i.e. health, education, livelihood, environment, art & culture, governance, and/or inclusive development, under three categories -
- Product Innovation - if the idea has a tangible offering.
- Service Innovation- if the offering is creating a wider impact based on intangible elements.
- Rural and Inclusive Innovation - addressing the needs of remote, rural, and vulnerable communities.
Through their philanthropy partner, United Ways Bengaluru, 3M India offers seed funding of INR 3,00,000 each to the 6 winning projects - two prizes under each category, i.e.
- Idea Prize for innovations at project stage without an institution.
- Impact Prize for innovations part of early-stage organizations with less than 4 years of existence.
Participation Eligibility:
All participants of the Challenge must be:
- Under 30 years of age and should be born on or post 1991.
- Should be permanent residents of India.
- Should not be current 3M employees, interns, or trainees.
- Make submissions in English.
- Should not make any submission of an idea to promote or market 3M or its products.
Challenge Guidelines:
The Challenge aims to search, identify, recognize and support innovators who can contribute towards sustainable development, addressing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) stated by the United Nations. All submissions must conform to the following:
- Provide a strong proof of concept in the form of:
- Minimum Viable Project if at the idea stage.
- Prototype of the tested models if in early stages of an organization and eligible for impact prize.
- Provide evidence of impact in the form of:
- The projection with market feedback for Idea Stage submissions
- Primary feedback from stakeholders as a part of a dipstick of the prototype for institutionalised innovations
- Demonstrate leadership abilities to drive the idea in the form of:
- Eventual vision and plan over the next 6 months for Idea Prize Submissions
- The way forward for early-stage institutions or organizations for Impact Prize entries
- Financial Sustainability without Award Seed Fund in sync with:
- Project Plans over next 6 months for Idea Prize entries
- Business Plan for early-stage organizations under Impact Prize
- Award Seed Funding utilization in the form of:
- the specific impact on the project viability or innovator’s capacity
- Organizational capacity enhancement
- State contribution to which Sustainable Development Goal(s) stated by United Nations (UN SDG 2030)
The Challenge is open to submissions from anywhere in India, but the participating innovations, ideas, and initiatives must be relevant to our country's context.
Submissions under Product and Service Innovation Categories:
- Are open to individuals, teams, and organizations with impactful innovation.
- Idea Prize entries must have a clear one-year plan with endline of the project.
- Impact Prize entries must ensure that their organizational age is less than 4 years from the date of registration.
- Innovations presented should not have been awarded by any other major National or State level awards program previously.
Nominations under Rural & Inclusive Innovation Category:
- Nominations (both self and third party) must focus on grassroots innovation creating positive social change at the bottom of the pyramid.
- Self-nominations must mention recommendations from individuals or organizations who are aware of the idea or the project presented.
- Anyone or any organization can submit a nomination for a credible remote innovator with worthwhile reference for due diligence that should include their contact information such as direct email and mobile numbers.
- Innovation must serve vulnerable communities in rural or remote areas or underserved communities in an urban setup.
- The nomination could be of an individual or leadership team of an early-stage organization.
- The nomination should not have been previously awarded (such as major National or State level awards, Chief Minister’s Awards, and Corporate Prizes)
- All nominations should adhere to the age criteria of the “Challenge” that is mentioned in the eligibility section.
Assessment Criteria:
- Product and Service Innovations:
- Concept: Envisioning is the most powerful basis for developing it into a project. The concept has to be dynamic in nature and should contribute to positive change-making in the sphere of its relevance. Best entries, through their innovation, will not only address a need or solve a problem but also seize an opportunity for growth and leadership in a new space. The ideas presented must hence be expansive of their overall plan of design, development, and implementation.
- Innovation: We are looking for the “game-changers” or “changemakers”, those who can lead the future with their idea. The best entries will demonstrate how through creative approaches and solutions, an existing need or problem is being solved. However, problem-solving need not seek permanent intervention, but an intervention with a sustainable impact. The innovation must be able to present evidence of various distinctive advantages over other alternatives. Additionally, the submissions must propose a unique value proposition in relation to the cost of opportunity versus economic feasibility for its benefits. Such solutions (be it a product, application, service or practice/initiative, or hybrid combinations of existing tools) must be capable of being prototyped. Ideas presented do not have to involve inventing something entirely new, but entries should describe how the ideas are original.
- Measurable Impact: Entries should be able to explain how the idea has the ability to deliver a positive measurable impact on society at large (e.g. accessibility or affordability or inclusiveness). The best projects will tackle a root problem or social issue making an impact.
- Financial Sustainability: Ideas presented should have a clear plan to reach long-term goals. The strongest entries will outline how their solution can be sustained without relying on philanthropic donations or aid for core funding. If ideas are already at work, they should demonstrate fiscal responsibility and marketplace validation.
- Governance: To ensure and identify how well the innovative idea can be incorporated into a practical scenario of various parts of the country. This includes its potential for collaboration with other entities. Further engagement of citizens in order to implement the same is also analyzed.
- Potential: The potential of the project, idea, or innovation to be scaled up for greater impact and opportunities to connect with other networks.
- Nominations for Rural & Inclusive Innovations: These submissions will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Vision and leadership (including personal journey or the motivation behind the idea)
- Concept and approach for addressing the identified social problem
- Profile of Beneficiaries Targeted (i.e. while the idea must adhere to the rural context, the target audience will also be important criteria to evaluate relevance, inclusiveness, and futuristic approach in developing last-mile communities)
- Ability to create multi-level partnerships for sustaining the innovation for long term
- Impact and milestones either achieved or planned
The Challenge is looking for young innovators with the potential to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations to be achieved by 2030.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Join Our Knowledge Workshop Title "SDGs and Innovation"
Save the Date: 24th July 2021, 4.30 pm IST onwards. This is a Zoom session for 90 minutes.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 844 3372 8869
Passcode: YICA2021
You are invited to the first knowledge session hosted by The Dais for the 3M-CII YICA's community of innovators. This virtual workshop titled 'SDGs & Innovation' is intended to create awareness and understanding for all about Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and how innovation projects and their social impact is contributing towards this. Pre-register for the session at https://www.thedais.co.in/
Also, read more about the session at https://www.thedais.co.in/
See you there!
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What are the important dates & deadlines?
-
25 Jul'21, 11:59 PM IST Registration Deadline
-
25 Jul'21, 11:59 PM IST Entry Submission Deadline
Contact the organisers
-
ChChallenge Team 3m.cii.yica@gmail.com
Rewards and Prizes?
Exciting prizes to be won!
Idea Prize Winner (Seed Fund)
3 Idea Prize Seed Funds worth 3,00,000 each are available (one under each category of innovation - Product, Service or Rural / Remote / Inclusive)
Impact Prize Winner (Seed Fund)
3 Impact Prize Seed Funds worth 3,00,000 each are available (one under each category of innovation - Product, Service or Rural / Remote / Inclusive)
Six best early-stage innovations Recognition
Six best early-stage innovations of the season will be showcased at CII’s India Innovation Summit to be held from 14th -18th September 2021.
About 3M
3M started as a small-scale mining venture in Northern Minnesota, more than a century ago. Back then 3M was named as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. Now a global powerhouse, their products improve the daily lives of people around the world. But its success and longevity were not apparent from the start. It tried. It failed. Furthermore, it tried something new. Repeat cycle. Innovation and perseverance drove its founders, and it continues to drive 3Mers today.
From humble beginnings to Fortune 500- When 3M began in 1902, its five founders had a simple goal: to mine for corundum, a mineral ideal for making sandpaper and grinding wheels. Turns out, what they thought was corundum was really another low-grade mineral called anorthosite.
Discovering the poor-quality mineral could have caused an early end to their fledgling company, but its founders persisted. Why? Because something more important was born that first year: the spirit of innovation and collaboration that forms the foundation of 3M today. So, instead of calling it quits, they turned to different materials, applied them to other products, gained the trust of important investors and built up sales little by little.
They are committed to creating the technology and products that advance every company, enhance every home and improve every life with its corporate operations in 70 countries, sales in 200 countries
Organization Structure:
Scientific, technical and marketing innovations produced success upon the firm over the years, eventually making 3M a constant name on the Fortune 500 list. Today, more than 60,000 3M products are used in homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and other industries. One-third of our sales come from products invented within the past five years, credits to innovations from the thousands of researchers and scientists they employ around the world.
Business Segments:
3M manages its operations in five business segments. The segments are Industrial, Health Care, Safety and Graphics, Electronics and Energy, & Consumer. 3M’s 5 business segments bring together 3M technologies that are related or are common, in order to enhance the development of innovative services and products and providing for efficient sharing of business resources.
- Industrial Business: The Industrial segment of the company serves a broad range of markets, like automotive original equipment manufacturer & automotive after market (auto body shops and retail), appliance, paper & printing, electronics & automotive electrification, packaging, food & beverage, and construction. Industrial products include tapes which have a wide variety of coated, non-woven and bonded abrasives, advanced ceramics, acoustic systems products, sealants, adhesives, speciality materials, purification, closure systems for personal hygiene products, and components and products that are used in the manufacture, repair and maintenance of automotive, marine, aircraft and speciality vehicles. 3M is also a leading global supplier of precision grinding technology that serves customers in the area of hard-to-grind precision applications in industrial, aircraft, automotive, and cutting tools. 3M develops, creates and produces advanced technical ceramics for demanding applications in the automotive, oil & gas, industrial, solar, electronics and defence industries.
- Safety and Graphics Business: The Safety and Graphics segment serves a broad range of markets that increase the safety and productivity of people, facilities and systems. Major product offerings include personal protection products, such as respiratory, hearing, eye and fall protection equipment; commercial solutions, including commercial graphics sheeting and systems, architectural design solutions for surfaces, and cleaning and protection products for commercial establishments; transportation safety solutions, such as retro reflective sign sheeting; and roofing granules for asphalt shingles.
- Health Care Business: The Health Care segment serves markets that include medical clinics and hospitals, pharmaceuticals, dental and orthodontic practitioners, health information systems, and food manufacturing and testing. Products and services provided to these and other markets include medical and surgical supplies, skin health and infection prevention products, oral care solutions (dental and orthodontic products), health information systems, inhalation, and transdermal drug delivery systems, and food safety products.
- Electronics and Energy Business: The electronics and energy segment serves customers in electronics and energy markets, including solutions that improve the dependability, cost-effectiveness, and performance of electronic devices; electrical products, including infrastructure protection; and power generation and distribution. This segment’s electronics solutions include the display materials and systems business, which provides films that serve numerous market segments of the electronic display industry. 3M provides distinct products for five market segments, including products for-
- LCD computer monitors
- LCD televisions
- Handheld devices such as cellular phones and tablets
- notebook PCs and
- Automotive displays
- Consumer Business: The consumer segment serves markets that include consumer retail, online retail, office retail, office business to business, home improvement, drug, and pharmacy retail, and other markets. Products in this segment include office supply products, stationery products, home improvement products (do-it-yourself), home care products, protective material products, certain consumer retail personal safety products, and consumer health care products. Major consumer products include Scotch® brand products, such as Scotch® Magic™ Tape, Scotch® Glue Stick and Scotch® Cushioned Mailer; Post-it® Products, such as Post-it® Flags, Post-it® Extreme Notes, Post-it® Note Pads, Post-it® Labelling & Cover-up Tape, and Post-it® Pop-up Notes and Dispensers; home improvement products, including ScotchBlueTM painter tapes, surface-preparation and wood-finishing materials, Command™ Adhesive Products and Filtrete™ filters for furnaces and air conditioners and Filtrete™ Room Air Purifiers; home care products, including Scotch-Brite® Scour Pads, Scotch-Brite® Scrub Sponges, Scotch-Brite® Microfiber Cloth products, O-Cel-O™ Sponges; protective material products, such as Scotchgard™ Fabric Protectors; certain maintenance-free respirators; certain consumer retail personal safety products, including safety glasses, hearing protectors, and 3M Thinsulate™ Insulation, which is used in jackets, pants, gloves, hats and boots to keep people warm; Nexcare™ Adhesive Bandages; and ACE® branded (and related brands) elastic bandage, supports and thermometer product lines.
Product Portfolio:
- Abrasives
- Adhesives & Tapes
- Advanced Materials
- Films
- Filtration
Brands:
- ACE
- Bondo
- Littmann
- Post-it
- Scotch
- Scotch-Brite
- Command
- Filtrete
- Nexcare
- ScotchBlue
Industries:
- Automotive
- Commercial Solutions
- Consumer
- Design & Construction
- Electronics
- Energy
- Government
- Health Care
- Manufacturing
- Mining, Oil & Gas
- Safety
- Transportation
Subsidiaries:
3M has many subsidiaries, few are mentioned below:
- 3M Japan Ltd
- 3M India Ltd
- 3M Canada Ltd
- 3M Thailand Ltd
- Meguiar's, Inc.
- Ceradyne
- Capital Safety
- 3M Russia Ltd
- 3M Touch Systems, Inc
- 3M Nederland B.V. Ltd
Mergers & Acquisitons:
- On October 2019, 3M informed it has finished the acquisition of Acelity, Inc. and its KCI subsidiaries worldwide.
- On February 2019, 3M informed it has finished the acquisition of M*Modal’s technology business for a total enterprise value of $1 billion. M*Modal’s technology business provides cloud-based, conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered systems that will expand the capabilities of 3M’s Health Information Systems business.
- On August 2015, 3M informed it has finished the acquisition of Capital Safety from KKR for a total enterprise value of $2.5 billion, including the assumption of approximately $0.7 billion of debt, net of cash acquired. Capital Safety is a leading global provider of fall protection equipment, one of the fastest-growing safety categories within the global personal protective equipment industry.
News and Facts:
- 10th March 2020: 3M and The BrandLab team up to expand diversity in the design sector.
- 25th February 2020: 3M recognized by Ethisphere Institute as one of the world’s most ethical companies for the 7th consecutive year.
- 03rd December 2019: 3M Open Partners With Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph for NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats Week.
- 11th October 2019: 3M Completes Acquisition of Acelity, Inc.
- Perfecting the patent- 3M reached an innovation milestone in the year 2014 with the issuance of its 100,000th patent. Each year about 3,000 patents are issued to 3M worldwide, with more than 500 granted in the U.S.
- The Billion dollar milestone was achieved in the year 2013 when 3M topped $30 billion in sales around the globe.
Corporate Social Responsibility:
3M improves the lives of people and builds sustainable communities through its social investments and thoughtful engagement of 3Mers worldwide. 3M was one of the first firms to establish a foundation in 1953, and since then the company has contributed around $1.45 billion in cash and in-kind gifts to their community partners.
3Mgives continues to support diverse initiatives that have a real impact in various communities and that provide solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Their investments are more impactful as a result of partnerships with organizations with a proven track record for delivering results.
3Mgives makes a positive impact on its three focus areas:
- Education (Advancing Equity in STEM and Skilled Trades)- 3M invests in its communities and engages 3Mers to support programs that provide access to high-quality educational opportunities for underrepresented and under-resourced groups. As a science-based company, they aim to spark interest and support achievement in STEM-related coursework. Their goal is to encourage careers in STEM to support a diverse pipeline of talent for generations to come.
- Community- 3Mgives enhances community vibrancy by improving standards of living, preparing youth for life-long success, increasing access to quality and diverse arts opportunities and contributing to global humanitarian relief efforts.
- Environment- 3Mgives invests in programs that foster sustainable communities. 3M committed a $5 million investment to the Closed Loop Fund, which is one example of a collaborative social impact resource that provides municipalities with access to capital needed to build comprehensive recycling programs.