India, August 29, 2024: Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) conducted a hackathon followed by an award ceremony for the students graduating under Samsung Innovation Campus, the flagship CSR programme of the brand. Conducted in Bengaluru, the initiative empowered over 1100 undergraduate engineering students with theoretical and project training in cutting-edge technologies like AI and IOT. Certifications in these courses will make them job-ready, and also provide a platform that enables them to showcase their capabilities and present their innovative ideas as entrepreneurs.

Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), the flagship CSR programme, empowered students from over 30 Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) affiliated colleges in future-tech domains. This initiative strengthens Samsung’s commitment towards the Government’s Skill India initiative as part of the company’s vision of #PoweringDigitalIndia.

“Samsung has been committed to creating a generation of young innovators through exchange of knowledge, and collaboration under the guidance of its leaders as mentors. We are excited to handhold these young minds through a platform of skill-based learning as they prepare to shape the future of our country with their passion and potential”, said Balajee Sowrirajan, Corporate Executive Vice President & Managing Director at Samsung Semiconductor India Research.

The SIC Hackathon journey began with a rigorous ideation phase, where students submitted over 500 capstone projects. A competitive selection process led to 50 teams participating in a mentorship program under the guidance of experts from SSIR, and training partners, CoCreate and Skyrim Innovation. The grand finale showcased the qualifying teams’ ground-breaking solutions to a distinguished panel of judges comprising SSIR leadership, VTU dignitaries, and industry experts. The event was a culmination of months of hard work, dedication, exceptional talent, and ingenuity of the participating students. Notably, standout ideas with potential for deep tech products were awarded, highlighting the initiative’s role in fostering entrepreneurship among tomorrow’s innovators.

“The partnership with Samsung Semiconductor India Research has been instrumental in unlocking the full potential of our students. The SIC Hackathon is a shining example of the innovation and ingenuity that thrives within our campus. We are excited and optimistic that the program will enable the nation’s youth for future-tech domains,” said Dr. S Vidyashankar, Vice Chancellor, Visvesvaraya Technological University.

Winners of the SIC Hackathon 2024 from VTU:

1. First Prize (INR 3 Lakh scholarship): Arihant Patil and Aenessa Vaz from KLS Gogte Institute of Technology, Belagavi for their innovative solution- Electro Relief from Primary Dysmenorrhea
2. Second Prize (INR 2 Lakh scholarship): Kshiti Gaddigoudar, Omkar Pote, Pratham Jadhav, Chandan Parasharam Kangralkar and Narayan Sabale from Jain College of Engineering, Belagavi, for their innovative solution- Design and Development of Soft Robotics Glove for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
3. Third Prize (INR 1 Lakh scholarship): Vishal M Koti, Siddhartha Mahesha Pundit and Srivathsa Nadig from Jyothy Institute of Technology, Bengaluru for their innovative solution- Bark up the Right Tree: Treatment of Used Books to remove ink
4. Appreciation Award 1 (INR 50,000 scholarship): Prarthana Nandi and Ankush Shreeshailappa Nagathan from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru, for their commendable efforts- Workflow Augmentation and Virtual Assistance
5. Appreciation Award 2 (INR 50,000 scholarship): Kiran Bastwad, Suchit Malalikar, Sushant Kadam and Ajinkya Jadhav from Jain College of Engineering, Belagavi, for their commendable efforts- Wireless Multi-Functional Data Transfer and Charging Dock

All qualifying teams were recognised with certificates acknowledging their efforts in the SIC program. The SIC Hackathon has not only provided students with valuable technical skills but has also fostered an entrepreneurial mind-set, encouraging them to turn their innovative ideas into viable start-ups.