When Aarna Gupta was growing up in South Delhi, pollution was something she could see, hear about and occasionally struggle to escape. But it became something far more personal when her grandfather developed lung scarring.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as her family made repeated trips to the hospital, Aarna began to see environmental inequality differently. She realised that the burden of polluted air is not shared equally—and that for millions of people, exposure to harmful air is not something they can simply choose to avoid.

That realisation eventually took her beyond her own neighbourhood.

Aarna began spending time observing construction sites and speaking with workers and children who live around them. What stayed with her was the everyday exposure: workers spending long hours surrounded by dust and debris, often without masks or adequate protection, while children living around construction sites were breathing the same air.

She also noticed another consequence that rarely makes it into conversations about construction pollution: children missing school because of health problems.

“For me, it became about understanding how environmental inequality impacts people who are out there every day,” Aarna says.

At just 17, that question has led her to Aeroshield, a prototype designed to turn one of the most familiar features of a construction site—the scaffold net—into an active layer of protection against airborne pollutants.

The idea has also taken Aarna into the Top 40 of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Samsung’s flagship CSR programme that gives young innovators a platform to develop solutions to real-world problems through mentorship, resources and access to an innovation ecosystem. For Aarna, the programme is an opportunity to take Aeroshield beyond an idea and work towards making it viable at scale.

A scaffold net that does more than contain debris

Construction activity contributes nearly 30% of urban emissions and generates large quantities of airborne particulate matter. Conventional dust-control measures can be temporary, resource-intensive and difficult to maintain under the harsh conditions of active construction sites.

Aeroshield takes a different approach.

Instead of simply containing debris, the proposed low-cost net is designed to capture and degrade pollutants. A starch-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP), synthesised through graft copolymerisation, is designed to trap airborne particles through capillary absorption and electrostatic forces.

The captured pollutants are then targeted for degradation using photocatalytic materials engineered with oxygen deficiencies. When exposed to sunlight, these materials generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), creating a pathway to break down trapped pollutants and potentially contribute to the degradation of certain greenhouse gases.

The result is intended to be a construction net that does not merely stand between a construction site and the surrounding environment—but actively works to reduce the pollutants passing through it.

Importantly, Aarna says the ambition is not to create another complicated system that construction sites would struggle to adopt.

Aeroshield is being designed around existing construction infrastructure, with roller-line manufacturing envisioned to make the solution scalable while reducing water use and keeping production costs low.

The prototype is now ready.

A teenager thinking beyond the prototype

For Aarna, however, the technology is only one part of the ambition.

Her larger goal is to see protection for construction workers become part of a broader regulatory shift.

She wants basic protection from construction-related air pollution to become something workers can expect—not something they have to ask for.

“If a labourer feels safe, productivity improves,” she says.

That belief has shaped the way she thinks about Aeroshield. The objective is not innovation for innovation’s sake, but commercial viability: a solution that can be affordable, manufactured at scale and integrated into the way construction already works.

Her journey has also been shaped by the people closest to her.

When Aarna found herself unable to spend as much time outdoors because of pollution, her parents encouraged her to channel her curiosity into science. Her mother, who ran an education centre for children with special needs, also gave her an early understanding of how differently people experience the same environment—and how important it is to design solutions around those who are most vulnerable.

That combination of personal experience, scientific curiosity and social observation has become the foundation of her work.

Aeroshield began with a question about pollution.

It has evolved into a much bigger question about who gets protected from it.

From one girl’s observation to a larger vision for India

Aarna’s journey reflects a larger shift in how India’s young innovators are approaching environmental challenges: not simply asking how to make technology more sophisticated, but how to make it useful, accessible and capable of changing systems.

For Aarna, the answer lies somewhere between the laboratory and the construction site.

The cloth she first imagined has evolved into a technology designed to harness sunlight and accelerate the breakdown of pollutants. The problem she first saw through her grandfather’s illness has expanded into a concern for workers and children exposed to polluted air every day. And the prototype she has built is only the beginning of what she hopes will eventually become a commercially viable product and, ultimately, part of a change in construction-site safety standards.

At 17, Aarna is not claiming that one invention can solve India’s air-pollution crisis.

Her ambition is more focused.

She wants to make sure that the people who build India’s cities do not have to sacrifice their health to build them.

Because sometimes, a solution to a massive environmental problem begins not in a boardroom or a research institute, but with one young person noticing something everyone else has learned to live with—and refusing to accept it as normal.

About Samsung Solve for Tomorrow

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is Samsung’s youth-focused innovation programme that enables young people to develop solutions to real-world challenges through mentorship, resources and access to innovation ecosystems. In its fifth edition in India, the programme is supporting young innovators across four themes—AI Living for India, Health & Education, Environmental Sustainability, and Sport & Tech—as they develop their ideas towards potentially scalable solutions.

About Aeroshield

Aeroshield is an environmental sustainability innovation developed by 17-year-old Delhi-based innovator Aarna Gupta. The prototype is designed as a low-cost debris and pollution-control net for construction scaffolds, combining pollutant capture with sunlight-driven photocatalytic degradation. The solution is intended to be scalable, water-efficient and compatible with existing construction infrastructure.

Samsung India is expanding access to STEM learning in Tamil Nadu, reaching 3,000 students across 10 government schools in Kancheepuram and Ranipet through its DigiArivu programme. The initiative builds on Samsung’s growing commitment to manufacturing, innovation and community development in the state.

Implemented in collaboration with the UN Global Compact Network India (UNGCNI), DigiArivu is strengthening STEM learning through 10 dedicated STEM labs, hands-on educational equipment, Building as Learning Aid (BaLA), upgraded school infrastructure and teacher development. The CSR programme enables students to strengthen their understanding of STEM subjects through practical learning experiences and the application of classroom concepts. 

“Education is most meaningful when it inspires curiosity and encourages students to learn by doing. Through DigiArivu, Samsung is working with schools in Tamil Nadu to create engaging learning environments where technology, hands-on STEM education and teacher development come together to help young learners build confidence and prepare for the future,” said SH Yoon, President, Samsung Chennai Plant.

“The UN Global Compact Network India is committed to fostering partnerships that contribute to sustainable and inclusive development, creating meaningful impact at scale. Our collaboration with Samsung through DigiArivu reflects a shared commitment to strengthening quality education and expanding opportunities for young learners. By bringing STEM education and digital learning to government schools, this initiative is helping equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world,” said Ratnesh Jha, Executive Director, United Nations Global Network India, (UNGCNI).

Bringing STEM Learning to Life

Akey component of the programme is the creation of 10 STEM labs across government schools in Kancheepuram and Ranipet in Tamil Nadu providing students with opportunities to experiment with scientific concepts introduced in the classroom. Through hands-on activities and practical experimentation, students can engage more deeply with STEM subjects and develop curiosity, problem-solving skills and confidence in applying what they learn.

The programme also incorporates Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) to make the wider school environment an extension of the classroom. School walls and common spaces feature interactive elements and murals inspired by science, mathematics, sustainability, sports and inspirational personalities such as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

“Since DigiArivu was introduced, we have seen students become more curious and confident in the classroom. The STEM lab and interactive learning spaces have encouraged them to ask questions, participate more actively and connect lessons with practical experiences,” said V.Anandakumar, Headmaster, Maduramangalam Govt. Higher Secondary School, Kanchipuram.

For students, the impact is visible every day.

“Now we can perform experiments ourselves in the STEM Lab, and the learning walls around our school help us remember what we study in class. It makes learning more enjoyable and inspires us to discover more,” said S.Lathika, a Class 12 student from Maduramangalam Govt. Higher Secondary School, Kancheepuram.

Reaching Government Schools Across Kanchipuram & Ranipet

The initiative covers government schools in Maduramangalam, Molachur, Edayarpakkam, Damal and Thirupputkuzhi in Kancheepuram district, and Panappakkam, Arcot, Thimiri, Kalavai and Walajapet in Ranipet district.

Samsung will continue to strengthen its education initiatives in Tamil Nadu with DigiArivu expanding its focus across other districts. The programme will promote activity-based experiential learning, while enabling greater access to STEM education.

DigiArivu is part of Samsung’s broader commitment to Tamil Nadu and complements initiatives such as Samsung Innovation Campus, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow and Samsung DOST. Together, these programmes are expanding opportunities for education, skilling and innovation while strengthening Samsung’s long-standing engagement with communities across the state, including those around its manufacturing facility in Sriperumbudur.

Those were some of the ideas young innovators brought to Samsung India’s Gurugram head office at Kids Day@Samsung 2026, where children aged 7 to 17 were invited to imagine how technology could make everyday life smarter, easier — and a little more fun. The goal was to give employees’ children a first-hand glimpse into their parents’ world, spark curiosity and creativity, and help them experience the pride of being part of the larger Samsung family.

“What stood out at Kids Day@Samsung was the imagination of our young participants and the way they looked at everyday problems with fresh eyes. From rethinking a school bag to imagining new ways to learn, care for pets or bring families together, their ideas reminded us that curiosity is often where innovation begins. Kids Day is also a special opportunity for our colleagues to bring their families into their world at Samsung, creating a stronger connection between our workplace and the people who are such an important part of their lives,” said Rishabh Nagpal, Head of People Team, Samsung India.

At the centre of the annual celebration was ‘Little Minds. Big Ideas.’, a contest that challenged children of Samsung employees to rethink familiar products and invent new ones inspired by problems and experiences from their own lives.

Eleven finalists — seven aged 7–12 and four aged 13–17 — presented their ideas before a jury, transforming observations about school, pets, food, fashion and family life into imaginative technology concepts.

When a School Bag Knows You Forgot Your Homework

Several of the youngest innovators started with a problem almost every school-going child knows: forgetting something at home.

‘Mission Backpack: The School Bag That Checks Itself’ imagined a bag connected to a child’s timetable that could check whether the right books and essentials had been packed. It could alert the student when something was missing — or when the bag was getting too heavy.

Another Buddy Backpack concept went beyond reminders, imagining the journey to school as an experience filled with jokes, quizzes, stories and fun facts. A second Smart Buddy Backpack explored rewards, daily reminders and technology that could help children locate misplaced objects inside their bags.

Pets inspired another idea.

The Samsung Galaxy Pets Guardian Collar imagined a connected collar that could help pet parents track indicators such as heart rate, activity, sleep quality and body temperature, while alerting them to unusual changes.

Fashion received a technology makeover too. One participant reimagined the Samsung Bespoke AI Dresser as a wardrobe companion capable of scanning clothes and suggesting outfits according to the occasion, weather and time of day.

Another proposed a Smart Mirror that could let people visualize different hairstyles, makeup looks and expressions before choosing one.

And then came an idea many students might wish already existed: Samsung earbuds with a kids’ mode capable of turning a teacher’s history lecture into a rap song.

When the Refrigerator Becomes the Karaoke Machine

The 13–17-year-old finalists took the imagination further.

The Samsung Smart Refrigerator Karaoke Edition transformed the kitchen into an entertainment space, combining a karaoke screen and microphones with a family mode and music-synced lighting — turning cooking time into family time.

A Smart Spoon tackled a very different everyday annoyance: food going cold. The concept imagined a spoon capable of keeping food warm with every bite, reducing the need for repeated reheating.

Galaxy Loop looked further into the future with the idea of a wearable capable of projecting visual content from the finger or wrist.

And Galaxy Stylo imagined a smart pen that could help students strengthen vocabulary while improving spelling, grammar and writing skills.

Each of the 10 finalists had three minutes to make their pitch, followed by two minutes of questions from the jury. There were no restrictions on how an idea had to be brought to life: children could use drawings, charts, presentations, LEGO, simple models, props or simply tell a story.

Four winners — two from each age group — were selected and felicitated. Each received a Samsung 80 cm (32-inch) M5 FHD Smart Monitor with Smart TV experience.

In the 7–12 age category, Freya Goyal won for her Samsung Bespoke AI Dresser, while Advay Suryachand won for Mission Backpack.

In the 13–17 age category, Sanvi Goyal won for her Galaxy Stylo AI-Assisted Pen, while Aarna Goyal won for her Smart Refrigerator Karaoke Edition.

Seeing Where Mom and Dad Work

The ideas were only one part of the day.

Kids Day@Samsung also opened up Samsung India’s head office to employees’ families, giving children a chance to discover what their parents experience at work every day.

At the Business Experience Studio, children explored Samsung products and technologies. At the Samsung Studio, they went behind the scenes to see how live shoots and content are created. Visits to the gym and their parents’ workspaces offered another glimpse into everyday life inside Samsung.

For parents, it meant being able to show rather than simply tell their children what their workplace is like.

And Then, It Was Time to Play

Away from the pitches and technology experiences, Samsung’s cafeteria became a playground.

Children took on Drop a Hop, Bowling Alley, Mini Golf, Buzz the Wire, Hit the Target, Catch the Stick and Toss the Ball, while employees, spouses and children spent the day together across the head office.

The celebration ended with special snack boxes and curated gift hampers for the children.

But some of the ideas they left behind raised a more interesting question.

A karaoke refrigerator or a school bag that checks itself may have begun with a child’s imagination. As technology increasingly becomes part of how people learn, play and live, today’s playful idea could contain the seed of tomorrow’s product.

Can emergency alerts be made harder to miss when every phone is already competing for attention? Can agricultural waste be turned into a source of protein?

Four young innovators from Gurugram and Sonipat are exploring answers to these very different challenges — and their ideas have earned them a place among the national Top 40 of the fifth edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow.

Nikki Yadav, 19, and Priyanka Yadav, 18, from Gurugram are working on a solution aimed at making emergency alerts more visible and easier to identify. Priyanshu Raj, 22, and Nitish Kumar, 21, from Sonipat are exploring how agricultural waste could be repurposed into a potential source of protein.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is Samsung’s flagship CSR innovation programme for young people aged 14 to 22. Through design thinking, mentorship and hands-on learning, the programme helps young innovators identify real-world problems and develop their ideas towards workable prototypes.

Making Emergency Alerts Stand Out

For Nikki and Priyanka, the problem is one familiar to almost everyone with a smartphone: important notifications can easily get lost in the constant stream of digital communication.

Their idea explores how technology could distinguish emergency alerts from routine notifications and make them more prominent, potentially helping people recognise critical information faster when every second matters.

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow encouraged us to examine the problem from a community perspective. The design-thinking process helped us refine our ideas and strengthen our approach,” said Nikki Yadav.

Finding New Value in Agricultural Waste

In Sonipat, Priyanshu and Nitish are looking at a challenge rooted in agriculture but connected to a much larger question around nutrition.

Their idea explores whether agricultural waste can be repurposed into a potential source of protein. By finding new value in material that might otherwise be discarded, the team is examining an approach that could address two challenges at once — agricultural waste and the need for more sustainable sources of nutrition.

“The mentorship and prototyping support helped us strengthen our idea and better understand how local challenges can be translated into practical innovations,” said Priyanshu Raj and Nitish Kumar.

Haryana Ideas on a National Stage

The two ideas reflect the diversity of problems young innovators are choosing to tackle — one emerging from an increasingly digital urban environment and the other from Haryana’s agricultural landscape.

They are also part of a broader shift visible in this year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow. More than half of the national Top 40 teams are from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, bringing ideas shaped by challenges and experiences from different parts of India.

For Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, this widening innovation map is central to the programme: encouraging young people to identify problems they understand firsthand and giving them the tools, mentorship and support to turn those observations into solutions.

The Top 40 teams will now move from ideas towards prototypes, receiving mentorship and hands-on support as they test and refine their concepts and compete for a place in the Top 20.

Collectively, the Top 40 teams will receive INR 8 lakh, while every team member will receive a Samsung Galaxy Book6 Series laptop to support prototype development. They will also participate in a 10-day Innovation Bootcamp at FITT-IIT Delhi, receiving intensive mentoring from startup founders and industry experts.

As part of the Bootcamp, participants will get an opportunity to visit Samsung R&D Institute India – Delhi, Samsung R&D Institute India – Noida, Samsung R&D Institute India – Bangalore, Samsung Design Delhi and Samsung’s Regional Headquarters in Gurugram, gaining exposure to different parts of Samsung’s innovation ecosystem in India.

The teams will then compete for a place in the Top 20, receiving further support to strengthen their solutions ahead of the Grand Finale.

At the culmination of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2026, four winning teams will collectively receive incubation grants worth INR 2 crore, along with incubation support from FITT-IIT Delhi to help take their ideas towards further development and potential market readiness.

For the four young innovators from Haryana, making the national Top 40 marks the beginning of that journey — taking problems they encountered close to home and testing whether their ideas can ultimately solve them at a much larger scale.

Samsung R&D Institute India-Bangalore (SRI-B) has won two honours at Zinnov Confluence 2026, marking the 12th consecutive year of recognition at the industry forum.

SRI-B won the Ecosystem Synergy Award for building strategic partnerships that accelerate innovation, strengthen capabilities and create differentiated consumer experiences. Ranjan Samal, Principal Architect at SRI-B, was also honoured with the Technical Role Model – Individual Contributor Award for his technical expertise, leadership and contributions to Artificial Intelligence.

The Technical Role Model award recognizes technology stalwarts who inspire others through their expertise and leadership while driving impact in areas including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics and Intelligent Automation.

“Winning at Zinnov Confluence for the 12th consecutive year reflects the strong culture of technology innovation and collaboration at SRI-B. Our technologists continue to translate advanced research into meaningful consumer experiences, while our ecosystem partnerships help us accelerate innovation and create impact at scale,” said Mohan Rao Goli, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director, Samsung R&D Institute India-Bangalore.

The latest honours continue SRI-B’s longstanding track record at the Zinnov Awards and reinforce its focus on technical leadership, innovation and ecosystem collaboration. Zinnov Confluence 2026, centered on the theme “Winning the AI Race,” brought together industry leaders to explore the future of global talent and technology and how organizations can make bold bets while keeping human wisdom at the heart of decision-making. The 17th edition of the Zinnov Awards, held on August 19, 2026, recognizes organizational and leadership excellence among India-based Global Capability Centres (GCCs).

SRI-B focuses on technologies including Communication, Computer Vision, Intelligent Platforms, System Software, Smart Things, Services and exploring the growing areas of Robotics and Quantum-inspired AI. Over nearly three decades, the R&D centre has developed several products and solutions for Indian and global markets, with several industry-first and world-first innovations conceptualized and developed at SRI-B.

From Varanasi and Prayagraj to Raebareli, young innovators from Uttar Pradesh are showing that some of India’s most promising ideas can emerge from anywhere.

Four young innovators from the state have made it to the national Top 40 of the fifth edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow with ideas addressing challenges ranging from document literacy and housing design to emerging cybersecurity threats and digital public safety.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is Samsung’s flagship CSR innovation programme for young people aged 14 to 22. Implemented in partnership with FITT-IIT Delhi, the programme enables young innovators from across India to identify real-world challenges and develop potential solutions through human-centred design, mentorship, technology and hands-on prototyping.

From Local Problems to Potential Solutions

In Varanasi, 18-year-old Abhinav Jaiswal is working on a solution to make important documents easier to understand for people who may struggle with complex written information.

In Prayagraj, 19-year-old Mohd Sarfraz is developing an AI-assisted housing design solution focused on practical challenges faced in densely populated Indian neighbourhoods, including structural planning and ventilation.

And in Raebareli, Akul Attre, 21, and Saksham Shreyans, 20, are exploring emerging cybersecurity threats associated with encrypted data and ways to strengthen digital public safety.

Different cities. Different challenges. But the ideas share a common starting point: problems observed close to home.

Their achievement reflects a larger shift visible in this year’s programme. More than half of the national Top 40 teams are from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, demonstrating how young people from across India are increasingly using technology to solve problems they encounter in their communities.

For Uttar Pradesh, the presence of young innovators from Varanasi, Prayagraj and Raebareli among the national Top 40 is also a source of regional pride — and a sign of how India’s innovation map is expanding beyond its traditional technology hubs.

For Abhinav Jaiswal from Varanasi, the challenge is document literacy. Important documents can often be difficult for illiterate and semi-literate Indians to understand, particularly before signing them. His solution explores how technology can make such information easier to understand and help people make more informed decisions.

For Mohd Sarfraz, the focus is on using AI to address practical challenges in housing design.

Meanwhile, Akul Attre and Saksham Shreyans are working on their solution around cybersecurity and digital public safety.

Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, these young innovators are getting the platform, mentorship and technology support to understand the challenges more deeply, test their ideas and turn them into potential solutions.

The Top 40 teams will now participate in a 10-day Innovation Bootcamp, where they will receive intensive mentoring from startup founders and industry experts at FITT-IIT Delhi. As part of the Bootcamp, the teams will also get an opportunity to visit Samsung R&D Institute India – Delhi, Samsung R&D Institute India – Noida, Samsung R&D Institute India – Bangalore, Samsung Design Delhi, and Samsung’s Regional Headquarters in Gurugram.

The teams will then compete for a place in the Top 20, which will receive further support to strengthen and advance their solutions ahead of the Grand Finale.

At the culmination of the programme, the four winning teams will collectively receive incubation grants worth INR 2 crore, along with incubation support from FITT-IIT Delhi, helping them take their solutions towards further development and market-ready.

As Samsung marks 30 years in India, Solve for Tomorrow reflects its commitment to nurturing a new generation of innovators across the country. By bringing mentorship, design thinking, technology and prototyping support to young people wherever they are, the programme is helping promising ideas move from communities towards solutions with wider potential.

For Uttar Pradesh’s young innovators, the journey to the national Top 40 carries a powerful message: an idea capable of solving a national challenge can begin in Varanasi, Prayagraj or Raebareli.

Samsung’s Chennai Plant brought together more than 8,000 employees and their family members for a vibrant Family Day celebration, turning the manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu into a lively space filled with music, games, performances and shared moments.

The celebration offered families an opportunity to experience the workplace that is an important part of their loved ones’ lives, while recognising the contribution of employees and the support they receive from their families.

For a day, the Samsung Chennai Plant took on a different energy. Employees arrived with their spouses, children and family members, with activities spread across the facility for people of all ages.

Children enjoyed attractions including a Toddler Zone, Ball Pit, Maze Runner, Trampoline and Carnival Inflatable, alongside creative activities such as mask making, doodle art and face painting. A foam party, bubble show, 3D show and photobooths added to the festivities.

The main stage brought together music, dance, comedy and employee recognition. The programme featured employee performances, sports and cultural awards, a lucky draw and a DJ-led celebration.

One of the highlights came when Samsung colleagues from South Korea performed a Tamil song on stage, drawing cheers from employees and their families. Leaders from across the Chennai Plant also joined employees in dance performances, adding to the spirit of camaraderie.

For many families, the celebration offered a closer look at the community their loved ones are part of every day.

“It was a wonderful experience for our family. There were activities for everyone to enjoy, and it was really nice to see employees and their families coming together and celebrating as one Samsung Family,” said the husband of Lomavathi, a shop-floor employee at Samsung Chennai Plant.

Organising a celebration for thousands of people required teams across the plant to come together, coordinating registration, transportation, food, safety, activities and gift distribution.

“A big event inside the factory is not easy to organise, but the team managed everything very well. The volunteers, safety team, food arrangements and time management were excellent,” said Prasanth, a shop-floor employee.

At the heart of the celebration was a message of gratitude from Sunghyun Hoon, Managing Director, Samsung Chennai Plant, who thanked employees and their families for their contribution and support.

“This is all thanks to your hard work. And most of all, thanks to our families who always support us with love. Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart. Our employees and families are our most important asset. Your happiness is Samsung’s future,” he said.

Samsung’s Chennai Plant has been an important part of the company’s manufacturing journey in India since 2007. Located in Tamil Nadu, the facility manufactures a range of consumer electronics and home appliances for consumers in India.

Family Day celebrated the people behind that journey — the employees whose work contributes to Samsung’s operations every day and the families whose support makes that possible.

As children moved between games, families gathered for photographs and employees cheered their colleagues on stage, the Chennai Plant became more than a workplace for the day.

It became a celebration of one team, one community and one Samsung Family.

Samsung India today announced the Top 40 semi-finalist teams of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, its flagship youth innovation programme that gives young people a platform to identify challenges around them and turn their ideas into solutions through mentorship, technology, prototyping and hands-on learning.

Now in its fifth edition in India in 2026, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is open to young people aged 14 to 22 and is designed to nurture problem-solving and innovation among the country’s next generation.

The Top 40 represent 15 states and 26 cities, with more than half of the teams coming from Tier 2 and Tier 3 India. Young innovators from Varanasi, Coimbatore, Guntur, Amritsar, Sundargarh and Rajkot have made it to the national semi-finals alongside teams from major technology and education hubs.

The shortlist comprises 10 teams each across the four themes of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2026 – AI Living for India, Health and Education, Environmental Sustainability, and Sport & Tech.

“What stands out in this year’s Top 40 is how closely young people are looking at the world around them. They are identifying problems in their communities, classrooms, farms, businesses and playing fields, and asking how technology can make a difference. The fact that more than half of these teams come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 India is particularly encouraging because it shows that the next generation of innovation can emerge from anywhere. Our role through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is to give these young innovators the mentorship, technology and opportunity to turn their ambition into impact. As Samsung completes 30 years in India, we want to continue investing in the ideas and talent that will shape the country’s next 30 years,” said SP Chun, Corporate Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia.

The semi-finalists are working on ideas ranging from AI tools that could make financial and essential information more accessible to solutions for agricultural residue, assistive technologies for people with disabilities, affordable healthcare and education tools, and technologies designed to make sport more inclusive.

Among the Top 40 is AIRMED from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, which is exploring how AI could help built about India as a global healthcare destination. AIRMED wants to connect overseas patients with Indian hospitals.

Code Blooded from Sundargarh, Odisha uses specialised AI to identify sporting talent among para-athletes in smaller cities and rural areas.

AcoustiNode Systems from Thrissur, Kerala addresses dam management through better hydrological intelligence, with the aim of reducing poorly informed reservoir releases and improving flood, irrigation and power-management decisions.

QuantHunt from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh tackles the emerging cybersecurity threats, where encrypted data stolen today could potentially be decrypted as computing capabilities advance.

Other teams are developing technology to help visually-impaired swimmers train more independently, an AI companion aimed at improving access to education for visually impaired students, a solution that can turn existing classroom projectors into interactive learning platforms, and technology designed to convert biomass into clean energy and useful carbon resources.

“The transition from an interesting idea to a viable solution is often the most difficult part of the innovation journey. What is encouraging about this cohort is that 25 of the Top 40 teams have already started building prototypes. The next phase will challenge them to test their assumptions, learn from users, strengthen their technology and think more deeply about how their solutions can work at scale. That process of learning by building is fundamental to creating strong innovators,” said Dr Nikhil Agrawal, Managing Director, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi.

From Ideas to Prototypes

The Top 40 will now enter an intensive phase of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow designed to help them develop and strengthen their ideas.

An Innovation Bootcamp, scheduled to begin in September, will give participants exposure to Samsung’s innovation ecosystem, including visits to Samsung R&D centres in Bengaluru, Delhi and Noida, as well as its Southwest Asia headquarters.

The teams will subsequently undergo intensive training and mentoring with FITT, IIT Delhi, receiving guidance on prototyping, problem-solving and developing their ideas for real-world application. Alumni from previous editions of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow will also participate in the mentoring journey, allowing participants to learn from young innovators who have previously gone through the programme.

The semi-final stage will culminate in a National Pitch Event, where the teams will present their solutions before a Samsung jury. Twenty finalist teams will advance to the last stage of the competition.

Awards and Support

Top 40 teams will receive a cumulative ₹8 lakh for prototype development, while each team member will receive a Samsung laptop.

The Top 20 teams will receive a cumulative ₹20 lakh for prototype enhancement, along with the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip smartphone for each team member.

At the culmination of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2026, the Top 4 winning teams will receive a cumulative grant of ₹2 crore from Samsung for incubation at IIT Delhi, helping them further develop and scale their solutions.

The programme will also recognize participants through special awards at the Grand Finale, including the Digital Impact Award of ₹50,000 and 2 Community Choice Awards of ₹1 lakh each.

Five Years of Taking Innovation Across India

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow was launched in India in 2022 to give young people a platform to identify problems that matter to them and develop ideas into solutions through mentorship, technology and hands-on learning.

Several youth-led startups have been incorporated through the programme since 2022. Over the past four years, Samsung has invested in nurturing young innovation through ₹2 crore in incubation grants at IIT Delhi and over ₹3 crore in cash prizes and technology products, providing emerging innovators with the resources and support to turn ideas into solutions.

Now in its fifth edition, the programme has progressively expanded its reach beyond India’s largest cities. Ahead of the Top 100 selection this year, Samsung conducted 184 Design Thinking Workshops across 135 cities, taking innovation and problem-solving directly to young people across the country.

As Samsung celebrates 30 years in India, Solve for Tomorrow reflects the company’s long-term commitment to supporting young people and strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem.

Globally, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow was launched in the United States in 2010 and has since expanded to 68 countries, engaging more than 3 million young people worldwide. The programme is part of Samsung Electronics’ global CSR vision, “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People.”

The Pune facility is the first new FläktGroup manufacturing facility to become operational since Samsung Electronics completed its acquisition of the global HVAC specialist in November 2025, marking an important milestone in the integration of the two companies and their strategy to expand Samsung’s global HVAC business. Strategically located near Mumbai and major logistics infrastructure, the plant will help supply HVAC solutions more quickly to customers not only in India but also across the Asia-Pacific region. 

Samsung Electronics held a ceremony at the new facility on August 12, attended by Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliance (DA) Business, David Dorney, CEO, FläktGroup, executives from both companies, and representatives from major customers. The event was attended by over 100 people.

“The completion of the production line in Pune, India, marks a significant milestone in expanding our HVAC supply beyond India to the broader Asia-Pacific region. By combining Samsung’s AI and platform technologies with FläktGroup’s HVAC expertise, we will deliver exceptional value to a diverse range of customers, including AI data centers,” said Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliance (DA) Business.

The new production facility, including the production line, office, and auxiliary facilities, covers an area of approximately 13,826 square meters. The facility moved from equipment installation to mass production in just six months. FläktGroup plans to progressively expand production to up to 6,500 HVAC units annually.

The Pune plant will manufacture a broad portfolio of FläktGroup solutions, including its flagship Air Handling Units (AHUs), Fan Wall Units (FWUs) and Computer Air Handlers (CRAHs) for AI data centres and other critical infrastructure.

AHUs use chilled water to cool indoor environments while helping maintain air quality and are widely deployed in data centres and large commercial buildings. FWUs use multiple high-capacity fans to efficiently remove heat from server environments, while CRAHs provide precision temperature, humidity and air-quality management for mission-critical IT equipment.

The new facility builds on FläktGroup’s plants in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Together, its Greater Noida and Pune operations will strengthen local manufacturing, improve customer responsiveness and support Samsung’s ambition to build a stronger HVAC business in India, for India and the wider Asia-Pacific region. By combining FläktGroup’s specialised HVAC and critical-cooling expertise with Samsung’s AI and technology capabilities, global reach and scale, the companies aim to accelerate the development and delivery of next-generation cooling solutions for AI data centres and other high-growth infrastructure sectors.

Samsung R&D Institute India-Bangalore (SRI-B) concluded the second edition of Samsung ennovateX 2026, bringing together technology leaders, researchers, academia and start-ups to discuss developments in artificial intelligence (AI).

Centred on the theme “AI for Living,” the conference examined how AI is changing the way people interact with technology and enabling more personalized and integrated experiences. The discussions reflected Samsung’s focus on developing AI technologies for everyday use.

Building on its inaugural edition, Samsung ennovateX 2026 brought together more than 300 technology and business leaders, researchers and innovators for keynote sessions, panel discussions, technology tutorials, the AX Start-up Pitch and the AX Hackathon.

“AI is about creating meaningful experiences that become a natural part of everyday life. We are building AI that is deeply personal, context-aware and responsibly designed to make technology more intuitive, accessible and impactful for everyone. Samsung ennovateX reflects our belief that breakthrough innovation happens when industry, academia, researchers and entrepreneurs come together to solve real-world challenges,” said Mohan Rao, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director, Samsung R&D Institute India-Bangalore, while opening the conference.

The conference featured speakers from across the technology ecosystem, including Harsh Dhand, Director, AI Partnerships, Google Asia Pacific; Dr. Kumar Sivarajan, CTO, Tejas Networks; Prof. Navkanta Bhat, Dean, Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences, IISc Bengaluru, and technology leaders from SRI-B.

Sessions covered proactive AI agents and AI operating systems, multimodal and physical AI, 6G and AI-RAN infrastructure, the hardware-software stack for the edge, and collaboration between academia, industry and start-ups.

A key session was the Grand Panel Discussion, “AI 2030: Possibilities and Challenges,” which brought together representatives from industry, academia and the investment ecosystem. Moderated by Manu Prasad, Senior Director, Head – Tech Strategy & Consumer Experience, SRI-B, the panel featured Vishal Katariya (Ankur Capital), Arjun Rao (Speciale Invest), Shubham Sandeep (pi Ventures), Prof. Debabrata Das (IIIT Bangalore) and Anant Lambade (Microsoft).

The discussion covered the opportunities and challenges that will shape the next decade of AI, including responsible AI development, commercialization, research collaboration, talent and the role of AI across industries.

Showcasing AI innovation from India

The AX Start-up Pitch featured more than 50 AI start-ups presenting solutions across emerging technology domains.

– Winner: Camb.AI

– Runner-up: H2Loop

The AX Hackathon brought together developers and students to build AI-powered solutions focused on practical applications.

– Winner: Students of VIT Vellore

– Runner-up: Students of NIT Rourkela

The event concluded with discussions on AI development and collaboration between researchers, developers, entrepreneurs and technology companies.

As AI continues to develop across industries and consumer applications, Samsung ennovateX provides a platform for researchers, industry and start-ups to exchange ideas and explore emerging technologies.

The second edition of Samsung ennovateX 2026 reaffirmed Samsung’s focus on responsible and human-centric AI, while highlighting the role of India’s technology ecosystem in AI and deep-tech development.

To know more about the event, visit ennovatex.io.