The India Smart Protein Innovation Challenge was launched by GFI India and its partners in July 2020, to educate hundreds of young students, researchers, and early stage professionals in the science and business of smart protein. The Challenge addresses a critical need in the plant-based meat, egg, and dairy sector – a dearth of scientific and innovative talent to empower entrepreneurs, food corporations, research groups,, and other key stakeholders. You can read more about why the Challenge is so high- impact, in this blog by GFI India Innovation Specialist Shardul Dabir.
In Phase 1 (Induction Phase), 1084 candidates from 250+ universities and organisations across India engaged in the challenge, consuming over 30 hours of GFI India resources focused on the science and business of the smart protein sector, and were tested on their newly acquired knowledge with a bi-weekly assessment. This was the world’s first Smart Protein Digital Lab, and candidates who qualified from Phase 1 have received certification for completing the curriculum. The Digital Lab had a completion rate of over 70%, which is far, far higher than one would expect for online courses – bearing testimony to the Lab’s quality and the urgent need for such a curriculum in India focused on the smart protein Industry.
In Phase 2 (Ideation Phase), nearly 500 candidates went through an intense match-making and networking week, guided by GFI India mentors to form over 180 well-rounded teams. We ran a 10-part series of workshops called Inspiration Webinars with our own experts and some of our partners, to educate participants on multiple aspects of building successful proposals and companies.
The teams then worked to craft proposals detailing innovations in one of these five categories-
1) Plant-Based Meat
2) Plant-Based Seafood
3) Plant-Based Eggs
4) Plant-Based Dairy
5) Powering Plant-Based Solutions
We wanted to share a snapshot with you of a selection of these innovative solutions to advance the smart protein sector in India. You can filter the table below and check out entries specific to your interests. Spot someone whose solutions and interests match up with yours? Reach out to them through the contact details mentioned in their entry! You can collaborate with them, hire them, or help bring their ideas to life.
More details about the challenge can be found here. And if you are looking for interns, employees, or other kinds of collaborators more generally, check out the GFI India Talent Database – where multiple employers have found relevant talent in the past. Please write to GFI India Innovation Specialist Shardul Dabir at sharduld@gfi.org for access, including details of your request in the mail.
GFI India will continue to run challenges to cultivate talent and innovative ideas over the next months and years. We hope to continue partnering with strategic stakeholders so that we tap into Young India’s immense innovation potential – not just in plant protein but also in cultivated and fermentation-based meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy products! For future collaborations and partnerships, please write to us at india@gfi.org with your details.