KSUM Ties up with Singularity University to Launch India Global Impact Challenge for Startups

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Marking the Earth Day on April 22, the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and US-based Singularity University (SU) have joined hands to launch Global Impact Challenge (GIC) in India, inspiring startups to find solutions to address global challenges in Learning and Environment.
Singularity University (SU) is a global community using exponential technologies to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. The aim of the GIC is to foster moonshot innovations and startups that positively impact the lives of people, with an ability to scale and impact a billion people worldwide in 10 years.
Titled the “India Global Impact Challenge”, this aims to inspire solutions that address Learning and Environmental challenges. For Learning in particular, ideas that address skill shortage in emerging technologies and adoption of 21st century skill sets among the youth are invited. For Environment, ideas related to solid waste management in urban and rural areas, air and water pollution in cities are required.
“GIC gives a unique platform for innovators to come out with solutions to problems in two key sectors namely environment and education using modern technologies,” said Dr Sji Gopinath, CEO, KSUM. Applicants can submit ideas to solve these problems being faced by India and other developing countries.
The winner will be awarded the prize to attend the 10-week transformational SU Ventures Incubator Programme, starting in September, 2018. The 10-week program will be fully sponsored and hosted in Silicon Valley. The goal for the program is to develop startups with a potential of making positive impact globally.
“It will provide an exciting platform for innovators across the nation to use their innovative skills to address these challenges in our society,” said Dr Saji Gopinath.
“One of the unique capabilities of industry 4.0 is that they could find affordable solutions to largescale social problems. These exponential technologies could be effectively used to address the key problems of our society like pollution, water scarcity, food safety illiteracy etc”, he added.
The GIC finals will be a week-long event where startups and innovators across the country come forward with their innovative ideas and projects on exponential technology to make a global impact. It is expected to have more than 3000 ideas and participants from across the country. Industries which wish to be a part of GIC can contact at ??akp@startupmission.in or om@startupmission.in Deadline for application is May 31, 2018. Shortlist of startups will be announced on June 8, 2018 and a bootcamp for finalists will be held from July 2 to 6, 2018. The winners will be announced on July 7.
For more details, visit: india.gic@startupmission.in. The KSUM is the apex organization of the Kerala Government for supporting startups.