Young innovators join together to turn local challenges into global solutions

CMR University successfully concluded its flagship Global Open Innovation Challenge held on April 23-24 at its scenic lakeside campus in Bagalur. The event was organised as part of the university’s annual Design Thinking Day celebrations, Cause 2026, led by the Department of Common Core Curriculum.

Held under the theme “The Future is Local,” the two-day challenge brought together young innovators to explore solutions rooted in local contexts. The initiative encouraged participants to rethink innovation by drawing inspiration from community needs, indigenous knowledge systems, and everyday lived experiences.

At the event, students actively engaged in designing context-driven and sustainable solutions across diverse focus areas, including Community Development, Urban Infrastructure and Everyday Systems, Health and Wellbeing, Environment and Sustainability, and Learning Skills.

The valedictory ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Anwar Khan, Senior Director and Chief Architect at Capgemini, in the presence of distinguished dignitaries including Jeya Chandran, Regional Head – Southern India, UNDP; Dr. K. C. Ramamurthy, IPS (Retd.), Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Chairman, CMR Group of Institutions & CMR University; Dr. H. B. Raghavendra, Vice Chancellor, CMR University; and Dr. Praveen R, Pro Vice Chancellor and Registrar, along with the university’s deans and directors.

This year’s edition of the challenge witnessed an overwhelming response, with over 893 teams and more than 3,500 students participating from 120 institutions across 10 countries and 127 cities. The global representation included participants from Abu Dhabi, Cameroon, Germany, the USA, Sudan, and Canada, among others. The diversity was further enriched by participation from Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Pune, and regions like Odisha.

Over 100 projects were shortlisted and showcased, including an AI-powered platform for persons with disabilities, disaster rescue systems, and AI-based monitoring for illegal activities and poaching. Innovations also featured road accident alerts, a smart fisherman border alert system, and solutions for leak detection, smart pipelines, and GIS-based distribution.

Dr. K. C. Ramamurthy, IPS (Retd.), Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and Chairman, CMR Group of Institutions & CMR University, in his presidential address, expressed pride in the innovative ideas presented by students from across the world. He emphasised that strong general knowledge and problem-solving skills are key to translating such ideas into impactful solutions. Team Nano Heel won the National Category, Team Biota Backers secured the CMR Category, and Team Bohos Online from Germany emerged as the International Category winner, all recognized for their impactful, locally driven innovations.

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The Hans India