The Innovation for India Awards have been ‘un-awards’ of a kind, going beyond trophies to amplify groundbreaking innovations. A spirit now embodied in their evolution to Indian Innovation Icons.
Ahead of the 10th edition of the Innovation for India Awards, Marico Innovation Foundation (MIF) is proud to unveil a powerful evolution of its flagship offering — now rebranded as Indian Innovation Icons.
This new name reflects the platform’s unwavering mission to discover, celebrate, and amplify the stories of contemporary champions of Indian innovation. It’s not just about awards; it’s about honouring the journeys of innovators dedicated to solving problems and needs that would go unheeded, were it not for these visionary innovative solutions.
The rebranding to Indian Innovation Icons underscores our commitment to recognising and supporting these visionaries as they drive India’s progress with scalable, homegrown and transformative innovations.
Launched in 2006, the Innovation for India Awards was conceived as a platform to propel currently hidden, potentially game-changing innovations across the country. Over the years, it has become a symbol of excellence, recognising groundbreaking innovations across three key categories: Business, Social Impact, and sector-agnostic innovations that are Global & Game-Changing.
Held biennially, the program has seen nine successful editions, each attracting hundreds of applications. Winners are meticulously selected by independent jury councils comprising India’s most eminent business leaders, thinkers, policymakers, investors, and social impact stalwarts. The rigorous eight-month-long selection process, supported by an external knowledge partner, ensures that only the most transformative innovations are recognised.
The awards ceremony itself is a crisp, curated 90-minute experience—a celebration of inspiration and innovation. Winners take the stage to share their compelling stories through TED-style talks, captivating a distinguished audience of thousands, from industry leaders to key players in India’s innovation ecosystem.
“MIF awards play a very, very important and catalytic role in driving a lot more innovation and inclusiveness of people working in this space. It brings in a huge network of people and ideas which are exchanged; and a fertile exchange of these ideas is really going to help us drive innovation going forward.”
Ravi Mariwala, CEO of Scientific Precision Pvt Ltd and jury member (Business category) for the Indian Innovation Icons awards
As the platform approaches its 20th anniversary or 10th edition, MIF’s leadership reflected on the evolving Indian innovation ecosystem and the award’s pivotal role within it. This introspection led to the decision to rebrand the initiative as Indian Innovation Icons, a name that captures the award’s evolving ethos and aspirations.
Unlike traditional awards programs, MIF’s awards initiative and its innovator-centric structure of the final ceremony has always been about more than just accolades. It is about discovering hidden gems, amplifying their stories, and providing a platform for growth. The program equips winners with the tools to communicate their journeys effectively, offers media visibility, connects them with valuable networks, and opens doors to mentorship opportunities.
The rebranding shifts the spotlight from the awards to the innovators themselves—true icons who are driving India’s innovation narrative forward.
Over nearly two decades, the MIF awards have mirrored the evolution of India’s innovation landscape. An analysis of past award winners reveals a near-equal distribution between Business (57%) and Social Impact (43%) categories, reflecting a growing belief among innovators that impactful solutions can be both commercially viable and socially transformative. While traditional sectors continue to dominate, emerging fields like space-tech and energy are gaining momentum, accounting for 35% of business category winners. This surge in innovation is further validated by India’s remarkable leap from rank 81 to 39 on the Global Innovation Index between 2015 and 2024.
This progress hasn’t happened by chance. Sustained R&D investments, supportive government policies, and collaborative ecosystems have collectively matured India’s innovation landscape. Initiatives like the extension of the Atal Innovation Mission till 2028 and a strategic policy shift towards addressing ecosystem gaps and scaling successes highlight India’s growing momentum towards impact-driven innovations.
The rebranding to Indian Innovation Icons aligns with this momentum. The new name sharpens our focus—celebrating the innovators’ journeys, amplifying their stories, and inspiring the next generation to dream bigger and push harder.
While the awards remain the same at their core, the rebranding reflects a shift in how we want the world to see these innovators—not just as winners, but as icons who are shaping India’s future.
Some of the unique innovations uncovered and recognised by the program in the past are Dhruva Space, a 2023 winner in the business category, that is one of the few companies offering full-stack space engineering solutions from India, and strengthening India’s position in the global space economy. Or the Olympic Gold Quest, which won the 2020 award in the Global Game Changer category, for identifying and supporting Indian athletes with Olympic medal potential.
Winners of the Indian Innovation Icons gain access to a unique platform, including: pitching their ideas to top industry stakeholders, funders, and policymakers; receiving extensive coverage across prominent media channels; and potential fast-tracking into Scale-Up, MIF’s no-equity accelerator. They also receive personalised training in storytelling and executive presence, and exclusive opportunities to showcase their innovations to leading figures in the ecosystem.
MIF’s commitment extends beyond the awards ceremony. For instance, Incredible Devices, an organisation founded on the ingenuity of a co-founder who bootstrapped his innovation by selling his home, was honoured under the Social category in 2018 for developing the world’s only system for 100% accurate catheter reprocessing. After the awards, MIF continued to support their growth with on-ground mentorship, design expertise, and marketing strategy.
“Whatever they say in their values, they actually do it on the ground also. For most of Indian culture, the award ceremonies are a one-day program, but for Marico, it’s a lifetime interaction or bonding with the end user(sic)”.
The 10th edition of the Indian Innovation Icons has been a resounding success so far. During the application window (June-July 2024), the program received a staggering 1,000+ applications. The evaluation process, supported by Deloitte India, involved rigorous assessments, on-ground due diligence, and multiple rounds of jury deliberations over several months.
“I find them (the winning innovators) truly inspirational and relevant for creating the future of India. And whenever individuals or those who have attended the event, they’ve come back saying that this award function makes us proud (sic). We never knew that innovations like these are happening in India. And that’s what we are trying to bring to all of you.”
– Harsh Mariwala, Founder & Director, MIF, on what makes these awards truly special
The journey culminates in an award showcase ceremony on 6th March 2025, an evening that promises to be a confluence of groundbreaking ideas, inspiring stories, and visionary innovators.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness and celebrate the next generation of innovators who are transforming India’s future. Stay tuned for updates by following us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
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