This year’s semi-finalists represent remarkable geographical diversity, with participants from 15 Indian states, including remote regions such as Cachar (Assam), Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh), Mahabubnagar (Telangana), Durg (Chattisgarh) and Sundargarh (Odisha). The programme continues to champion young changemakers from across the country, enabling them to address real-world challenges through the power of technology and innovation.

The 2025 edition of Solve for Tomorrow invited entries under four key themes:

• AI for a Safer, Smarter, and Inclusive Bharat
• The Future of Health, Hygiene, and Well-being in India
• Social Change through Sports and Technology for Education and Better Futures
• Environmental Sustainability through Technology

The shortlisted ideas reflect the evolving priorities of Indian society—ranging from AI-led tools for air quality monitoring, biodiversity conservation, and clean water access, to smart solutions for food waste and e-waste management. Other innovations include gamified learning for students from underserved communities, personalised coaching apps, and sports-led interventions for children with autism. In the health and research domains, projects span early lung cancer detection and mental wellness tools to simplifying technical research through intelligent data scraping.

“We are excited to announce the Top 40 semi-finalist teams of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025. These young innovators, including those from Tier 2, Tier 3 cities, and remote regions, are using technology to solve real societal challenges. Their ideas reflect the incredible potential of India’s youth to drive meaningful change. As they move into the next phase, we remain committed to supporting them with mentorship, resources, and a platform to turn their ideas into real-world impact for a smarter, more inclusive Bharat,” said SP Chun, Corporate Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Samsung Solve for Tomorrow. This year’s approach focused on regional representation, and it is clearly reflected in the range and depth of shortlisted ideas. These young innovators have the potential to shape India’s future start-up ecosystem,” said Dr Nikhil Agrawal, Managing Director, FITT-IIT Delhi.

What Lies Ahead for the Semi-Finalists?

As part of their journey in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025, the top 40 teams will participate in an intensive Innovation Bootcamp, designed to help them turn their ideas into viable prototypes. During this phase, participants will meet and engage with leaders and experts across Samsung R&D and Southwest Asia operations. They will also attend curated training sessions led by industry and government experts at IIT Delhi, gaining hands-on insights into innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. The bootcamp includes structured prototyping support from IIT Delhi mentors and alumni of previous Samsung Solve for Tomorrow editions, ensuring continuity of learning and mentorship. Following the bootcamp, a National Pitch Event will be held where a select Samsung Jury will evaluate and shortlist the final 20 teams who will move forward in the competition.

Awards and Support

• Top 40 Teams – Will be awarded INR 8 lakh, while each team member will get a Samsung laptop
• Top 20 Teams – Will receive INR 20 lakh and the newest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip smartphones
• Four Winning Teams at the Grand Finale – Will receive an incubation grant of INR 1 crore at IIT Delhi to scale their innovations
• Special Awards at the Grand Finale – Goodwill Award, Young Innovator Award, and Social Media Champion, with a combined prize money of INR 4.5 lakh

A Global Vision for Youth Empowerment

Launched in the United States in 2010, Solve for Tomorrow is now active in 68 countries and has engaged over 3 million young people worldwide. The initiative aligns with Samsung Electronics’ global CSR vision – “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People” – aimed at equipping young people with the education, skills and opportunities to become future-ready leaders.

To explore more about Samsung’s global CSR programmes, visit our [CSR webpage].

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, has announced the shortlist of 100 teams for its flagship CSR initiative – ‘Solve for Tomorrow’, designed to foster an innovation ecosystem in the country. This shortlist includes 25 teams each from the four themes, who will now compete further in the national education and innovation competition.

This year, participants were encouraged to create solutions across four key themes: AI for a Safer, Smarter, and Inclusive Bharat; Future of Health, Hygiene, and Well-being in India; Social change through Sports and Tech for Education and Better Futures; and Environmental Sustainability via Technology.

This year, the Solve for Tomorrow shortlists have gone hyperlocal, with the programme discovering young innovators from some of India’s most remote districts—including Samastipur in Bihar, Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir, and Cachar in Assam. The reach and resonance of the programme is evident not just in the geographies covered, but also in the ingenuity of the ideas submitted across all four themes.

Under the ‘Future of Health, Hygiene, and Well-being in India’ theme, participants have brought forward unconventional yet deeply rooted solutions that reflect India’s evolving healthcare priorities. From innovations aimed at improving mental health and diagnosing lung cancer to supporting deaf users engaging in real-time conversations, the ideas are both empathetic and tech-forward.

One solution focused on streamlining ambulance tracking to enable faster emergency responses, while another proposed an integrated system to help locate the nearest hospital instantly. These ideas show that the youth are thinking about health in a holistic and inclusive way.

In the ‘AI for a Safer, Smarter, and Inclusive Bharat’ category, submissions pushed the boundaries of what AI can achieve in everyday life. Young innovators explored solutions to problems like ensuring citizen safety through real-time surveillance alerts, enabling reliable access to clean electricity in remote villages, and building AI-powered systems to respond to stray animal emergencies. Another standout idea aimed to simplify data scraping for engineers and students, making technical research more accessible. These projects reflected a sharp understanding of societal gaps and a bold vision for how technology can bridge them.

The ‘Social Change through Sports and Tech for Education and Better Futures’ theme sparked imaginative interventions at the intersection of inclusivity, learning, and digital access. Shortlisted ideas included sports-based development programmes for children with autism, mobile apps that offer personalized coaching, and gamified learning platforms for underserved students. One group envisioned a social network designed specifically to connect gamers across India—encouraging collaboration, creativity, and community-building. These ideas are not just tools—they’re pathways to better futures through engagement and empowerment.

Environmental consciousness was front and centre in the ‘Environmental Sustainability via Technology’ theme. From combatting deforestation and preserving biodiversity to addressing clean water shortages, the shortlisted ideas took on India’s most pressing ecological challenges. Teams also proposed innovative approaches to e-waste recycling, food wastage management in urban restaurants, and tackling air pollution using smart detection and intervention tools. The projects demonstrate a strong resolve among the country’s youth to heal and future-proof the planet, one solution at a time.

From over 20000 applicants, a total of 168 representing the 100 teams will now gear up for the next phase of the ‘Solve For Tomorrow’ competition where they will be equipped with presentation and effective communication skills through expert training and mentoring. This will help them prepare for the regional rounds commencing mid-July.

What’s Next

At this stage, participants will undergo online training led by thematic experts, followed by a video pitch round where 40 teams will be shortlisted – 10 teams from each theme.

The top 10 semi-finalist teams from each theme will then progress to an intensive mentorship programme guided by Samsung’s industry veterans and subject matter experts. These teams will also participate in curated learning visits to Samsung’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the Samsung R&D Institute India in Bengaluru, Noida, and Delhi, as well as Samsung Design Delhi, offering them first-hand exposure to world-class innovation ecosystems.

This phase will culminate in an experiential, hands-on Prototyping Programme at IIT Delhi’s state-of-the-art labs, in collaboration with ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ alumni. There will also be a Residential Bootcamp focused on refining ideas and preparing for the final pitch. The top 20 teams will be finalized after this phase, with five teams from each theme advancing to the grand finale. These top five teams from each theme will receive exclusive one-on-one mentoring sessions with Samsung experts. They will participate in a Prototyping Day, Pitch Presentation, Investor Meet, and Awards Ceremony, all held over the last three days of the competition.

What is in it for the participants

The top 100 teams will receive certificates of achievement. The top 40 teams will receive INR 8 lakh and the latest Samsung laptops for every member. The top 20 will receive with INR 20 lakh and the latest Samsung ZFlip smartphones for each member.

In addition, special awards include the Goodwill Award, Young Innovator Award, and Social Media Champion, with a total prize amount of INR 4.5 lakh.

The four winning teams will collectively receive a grant of INR 1 crore for incubation at IIT Delhi, providing substantial resources to accelerate their innovative projects. This funding aims to nurture their ideas into reality.

First launched in the US in 2010, ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ is currently operational in 68 countries globally and has seen over 3 million young people participate worldwide.

The Global CSR vision of Samsung Electronics – ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’ – is determined to provide education to young people around the world and empower them to become the leaders of tomorrow. Read more stories on Samsung Electronics’ CSR efforts on our CSR webpage https://csr.samsung.com/en-in/localMain.do

Find the list here:

(Left to right) Shubham Mukherjee, Head of CSR & Corporate Communication at Samsung Southwest Asia; Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY; JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia; Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India; Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi; Dr Sapna Poti, Senior Director, Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, unveiled the fourth iteration of its Samsung ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ initiative – a nationwide contest designed to inspire students to create innovative solutions to address some of society’s most pressing challenges by leveraging technology.

Samsung ‘Solve for Tomorrow 2025’ will provide INR 1 crore to the top four winning teams to support the incubation of their projects, along with hands-on prototyping, investor connects, and expert mentorship from Samsung leaders and IIT Delhi faculty.

This recognition highlights the significance of nurturing solutions that not only excel in the competition but also transcend it, ultimately evolving into scalable and sustainable ventures that will play a pivotal role in shaping communities across India.

The programme, spanning six months, invites students aged 14-22 to submit their tech ideas as either individuals or groups. This year, participants are encouraged to create solutions across four key themes: AI for a Safer, Smarter, and Inclusive Bharat; Future of Health, Hygiene, and Well-being in India; Social change through Sports and Tech for Education and Better Futures; and Environmental Sustainability via Technology.

“With Solve for Tomorrow, we are inspiring young innovators across every corner of India to dream big, tackle real-world challenges, and shape a smarter, more inclusive future through technology. This year, Solve for Tomorrow is going to be even bigger and more inclusive. We are reaching more cities, engaging students from more schools and colleges, and creating avenues for them to innovate, while applying the principles of design thinking. Solve for Tomorrow stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to the Government of India’s pioneering #DigitalIndia initiative that empowers our youth to become architects of the future,” said JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia.

“IIT Delhi is excited about fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and real-world problem solving among youth. Our collaboration with Samsung Solve for Tomorrow offers mentorship, research infrastructure, and technical guidance to help the young turn their ideas into products that impact society. We are delighted to be part of this initiative that enables socially conscious innovation and contributes to Viksit Bharat,” said Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi.

“India’s young innovators are at the heart of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and realizing the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. With more young minds to tap solutions than any country ever before, India is uniquely positioned to lead with ideas that address local challenges and inspire global change. Initiatives like Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow provide a vital platform for young people to turn their ideas into solutions for the global good, using technology to drive inclusive and sustainable progress. The UN in India is proud to support such collaborations, especially with the private sector, that uplift youth leadership, innovation, and action, ensuring that we leave no one behind,” said Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India.

“Young people hold the key to solving today’s most urgent global challenges. Initiatives Iike Solve for Tomorrow 2025 empower them to turn their ideas into reality using technology. We are excited to see solutions that help scale youth-led ideas to drive real change across communities,” said Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).

The fourth iteration of Samsung India’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aims to involve thousands of participants, offering more than 82,000 hours of extensive training in Design Thinking, Hands-on Prototyping, Go-to-Market Strategies, and Business Planning. In the final phase, teams selected as finalists will benefit from specialized training and mentorship provided by Samsung, IIT Delhi, and industry professionals.

‘Solve for Tomorrow 2025’ was inaugurated at IIT Delhi in the presence of all partners on Tuesday. Present at the event were Dr Sapna Poti, Senior Director, Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Shardul Rao, Scientist C, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India and P. S. Madanagopal, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub.

From ideas to impact: Programme stages

The application window for the initiative will be open from April 29 to June 30, 2025. During this period, Samsung will host immersive design-thinking workshops in schools and colleges across the nation, empowering participants with essential problem solving and ideation skills.

After the initial application phase, the top 100 teams will be chosen, with 25 teams selected from each of the themes. At this stage, participants will undergo online training led by thematic experts, followed by a video pitch round where 40 teams will be shortlisted – 10 teams from each theme.

The top 10 semi-finalist teams from each theme will then progress to an intensive mentorship program guided by Samsung’s industry veterans and subject matter experts. These teams will also participate in curated learning visits to Samsung’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the Samsung R&D Institute India in Bengaluru, Noida, and Delhi, as well as Samsung Design Delhi, offering them first-hand exposure to world-class innovation ecosystems.

This phase will culminate in an experiential, hands-on Prototyping Programme at Delhi’s state-of-the-art labs, in collaboration with ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ alumni. There will also be a Residential Bootcamp focused on refining ideas and preparing for the final pitch. The top 20 teams will be finalized after this phase, with five teams from each theme advancing to the grand finale. These top five teams from each theme will receive exclusive one-on-one mentoring sessions with Samsung experts. They will participate in a Prototyping Day, Pitch Presentation, Investor Meet, and Awards Ceremony, all held over the last three days of the competition.

What is in it for the participants

The top 100 teams will receive certificates of achievement. The top 40 teams will receive INR 8 lakh and the latest Samsung laptops for every member. The top 20 will receive with INR 20 lakh and the latest Samsung ZFlip smartphones for each member.

In addition, special awards include the Goodwill Award, Young Innovator Award, and Social Media Champion, with a total prize amount of INR 4.5 lakh.

The four winning teams will collectively receive a grant of INR 1 crore for incubation at IIT Delhi, providing substantial resources to accelerate their innovative projects. This funding aims to nurture their ideas into reality.

First launched in the US in 2010, ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ is currently operational in 68 countries globally and has seen over 3 million young people participate worldwide.

The Global CSR vision of Samsung Electronics – ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’ – is determined to provide education to young people around the world and empower them to become the leaders of tomorrow. Read more stories on Samsung Electronics’ CSR efforts on our CSR webpage https://csr.samsung.com/en-in/localMain.do

“We have been launching such drives across the country and have seen massive participation from our regional offices as well. As a responsible corporate, we believe in preserving the environment for future generations. Electronic waste collection, plastic waste management or such cleanliness drives are all steps taken towards preservation and protection of the environment,” said Sameer Wadhawan, Head of Human Resources at Samsung India.

Over 100 employees participated in this Care for Clean India drive. Armed with cleaning gloves and garbage bags, the group took it upon themselves to rid the park of non-biodegradable waste.

“I am happy that we got the opportunity to participate in this noble activity. At Samsung, we believe in co-prosperity and giving back to the community,” said Jeon Woosung, Customer Satisfaction Team.

In the past, the company has organized tree plantation drives, plastic waste management campaigns across the country that have seen huge participation from employees. Samsung has been pro-actively taking measures to motivate its employees to become more environment conscious through such initiatives.

Love and respect for the environment is instilled in all Samsung employees. They are encouraged to take up projects that help create a greener and cleaner world.

In Tirupati, Samsung employees planted trees and cleaned the city

Recently, Samsung employees in Tirupati in southern India, organized a road show covering 47 kilometers to spread mass awareness about Plastic Waste. They cleaned the city and planted trees.

A sapling plantation drive was organized in Vijaywada

In Vijayawada, another southern Indian town, Samsung employees organized a road rally and waste collection drive to spread awareness about environmental conservation. Employees marched with placards and banners with messages on protection of the environment, all of which were made of eco-friendly material. A sapling plantation drive was organized as well.

Employees in Chennai participated in a Walkathon to spread the message about the hazards of irresponsible disposal of e-waste and plastic waste.

It was heartening to see even school children, teachers and families of employees join in the activities. For instance, in Bengaluru, a school teacher who participated in a painting competition said, “Samsung is a brand that young people look up to. When they send the right message to this generation, it will definitely result in a positive change.”

Samsung Employees in Bengaluru joined school children and teachers in a painting competition

Samsung has two manufacturing units in India, one of which is located in Sriperumbudur near Chennai. It has three R&D centres here. The R&D centre in Bengaluru is the largest outside Korea. Bengaluru is also home to Samsung Opera House, the World’s Largest Mobile Experience Centre.

The Samsung Smart Class at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Rahikpur, Araria R.S.in Araria district was inaugurated by Mr. Rajiv Mishra, Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia. Today, Samsung Smart Class will also be opened at JNV schools Bishnupur, Mirzapur Bandwar (Begusarai District), Piprakothi (East Champaran District), Jethian, Atri (Gaya-I), Balesara (Gopalganj District), Barhat (Jamui District), Motihari, Belawa (Kishanganj District), Haweli Kharagpur (Munger District), Rewar, Erury (Navada District), Garhbanaili (Purnea District), Sheikhpura (Sheikhpura District) and Karmali Hata, Tarwan (Siwan District).

Samsung Smart Class, the company’s flagship CSR initiative in India, aims to bridge the digital gap between rural and urban India and provide equal opportunities for quality education to children from all backgrounds. Every Smart Class is equipped with Samsung products such as Samsung interactive whiteboard, laptops, a printer and a Wi-Fi connection to enable students to access digital content and be part of an interactive learning environment. Students are taught Mathematics, Science, English and Social Science in an engaging and visually appealing manner, helping them learn better and retain more information. The Samsung Smart Class are set up at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) schools, a system of alternate schools under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, targeting talented children in rural India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rajiv Mishra, Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia, said, “Digital India envisions a future where everything from scholarship applications to hospital appointments and governance discussions will be online. Over the last two years, the Samsung Smart Class initiative has helped over 180,000 children across India to become digitally literate, enabling them to be contributors to the future of Digital India. I am delighted that twelve JNV schools from Bihar are joining the Samsung Smart Class family and look forward to strengthening Samsung’s work in bridging the digital divide.”

Speaking at the launch of Samsung Smart Class, Mr. R.L. Mali, Assistant Commissioner, Navodaya Samiti said, “The world is going digital and we need to start early to equip our children with skills to tap into the opportunities that the digital future will offer. We at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya envisage a world where talented children – irrespective of socio-economic background – get equal avenues of quality education. We are elated that our association with Samsung has been successfully aiding us in this mission. The feedback from principals, teachers and students for the Samsung Smart Class is extremely encouraging and we are actively expanding our reach across the country.”

Since its inauguration in 2013, Samsung Smart Class have been set up in over 373 schools across the length and breadth of India. Teachers with Samsung Smart Class in their schools have reported better attention levels, higher enthusiasm and interest in participating in classroom discussions, as lessons can be taught in a personalised and digitally interactive learning environment.

Samsung CSR initiatives seek to leverage the company’s expertise in developing technological solutions that shape the future. In addition to the Samsung Smart Class initiative, the company has also established Samsung Technical Schools to address the need for talented manpower with practical know-how and relevant industry experience. Samsung Technical Schools are set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Departments of Technical Education in states such as Bihar, Delhi, Kerala, Rajasthan and West Bengal.

To play their part in the ongoing rehabilitation process, employees of Samsung India—from the Company’s sales offices, factories and R&D centres around the country—have raised Rs 56 lakh for the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund, Tamil Nadu by donating a portion of their salaries. In addition, employees of the Company are also volunteering in the ‘Samsung Care For Chennai’  initiative and along with the company’s sales partners, are helping in the distribution of blankets and packaged drinking water in affected areas in Chennai. The Company has supported this initiative by providing drinking water and blankets.

Smart Class, Uttar Pradesh

Samsung India Electronics today inaugurated a Samsung Smart Class at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Girish Chandra, Deputy Commissioner, Navodaya Samiti inaugurated digitally interactive Smart Class along with Mr. Rajiv Mishra, Vice President, Samsung India Electronics. There are a total of 41 Samsung Smart Classes across the state of Uttar Pradesh now.

Samsung Smart Class, the company’s flagship CSR initiative in India, aims to bridge the digital gap between rural and urban India and provide equal opportunities for quality education to children from all backgrounds. Every Smart Class is equipped with Samsung products such as Samsung interactive whiteboard, laptops, a printer and a Wi-Fi connection to enable students to access digital content and be part of an interactive learning environment. Students are taught Mathematics, Science, English and Social Science in an engaging and visually appealing manner, helping them learn better and retain more information. The Samsung Smart Class are set up at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) schools, a system of alternate schools under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India targeting talented children in rural India.

Mr. Rajiv Mishra, Vice President, Samsung India Electronics, said, “Digital India envisions a future where everything from scholarship applications to hospital appointments and governance discussions will be online. Over the last two years, the Samsung Smart Class initiative has helped over one lakh children across India to become digitally literate, enabling them to be contributors to the future of Digital India. I am delighted to welcome JNV Lucknow into the Samsung Smart Class family and look forward to strengthening Samsung’s work in bridging the digital divide.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. S.K. Mund, Assistant Commissioner – Administration, Navodaya Samiti, said, “The world is going digital and we need to start early to equip our children with skills to tap into the opportunities that the digital future will offer. We at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya envisage a world where talented children – irrespective of socio-economic background – get equal avenues of quality education. We are elated that our association with Samsung has been successfully aiding us in this mission. The feedback from principals, teachers and students for the Samsung smart class is extremely encouraging and we are actively expanding our reach across the country.”

The inauguration of the Smart Class at Lucknow also marked the beginning of a two-day training session. These sessions aim to aid teachers to teach effectively in an interactive manner using the content and tools provided for the Smart Classes.

Since its inauguration in 2013, Smart Classes have been set up in over 260 schools across the length and breadth of India, benefitting over 1.5 lakh students. By end 2015, Samsung aims to enable students in 373 JNV schools to experience digitally interactive “smart” learning. Teachers with Samsung Smart Class in their school have reported better attention levels, higher enthusiasm and interest in participating in classroom discussions, as lessons can be taught in a personalised and digitally interactive learning environment.

Samsung CSR initiatives seek to leverage the company’s expertise in developing technological solutions that shape the future. In addition to the Samsung Smart Class initiative, the company has also established Samsung Technical Schools to address the need for talented manpower with practical know-how and relevant industry experience. Samsung Technical Schools are set up in collabouration with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Departments of Technical Education in states such as Bihar, Delhi, Kerala, Rajasthan and West Bengal.