Pune, December 22, 2025: Schaeffler India has announced the winners of the fourth edition of its flagship Social Innovator Fellowship Program, an initiative aimed at recognising and supporting young social innovators working on scalable solutions to key environmental and social challenges across India.
The fellowship programme is designed to encourage innovation in areas such as environmental sustainability, renewable energy, carbon neutrality, circular economy, natural resource management, and the application of technology in the social sector. Open to individuals and organisations aged between 18 and 35 years, the 2025 edition attracted strong participation from across the country.
Following a rigorous screening and evaluation process that included prototype demonstrations, 10 shortlisted projects were selected for the fellowship. Each winning project has been awarded a grant of ₹1.75 lakh along with access to a 24-week hybrid mentorship programme conducted in collaboration with IIM Ventures at IIM Ahmedabad. The mentorship programme is designed to help innovators refine their ideas, gain industry insights, and prepare their solutions for market readiness and scale.
Since registrations opened in July 2025, the programme received over 460 registrations from more than 21 states, with 172 eligible applications submitted for final evaluation. A total of 103 applicants were shortlisted for assessment before the final selection of fellows.
Commenting on the initiative, Harsha Kadam, MD and CEO of Schaeffler India, said, “Change is the only constant. In a dynamic world where environment and technology play a fundamental role to meet the evolving needs of the world’s populus, the Social Innovator Fellowship Program speaks volumes of Schaeffler’s commitment to ESG and building not just a technologically advanced business model but be sensitive to the environment we operate in. It is our commitment to building a sustainable future that drives us to keep supporting this program year on year. With the response rates from participants growing over the years it’s overwhelming to see the indomitable spirit where technology and human consciousness collaborate to build a better world.
We are happy that program is designed to identify and empower young changemakers who are developing scalable, impactful, and technology-driven solutions. In doing so, Schaeffler aims to harness entrepreneurial spirit and provide a platform where innovators can translate their ideas into transformative actions that make a sustainable impact on society.”
He also congratulated the innovators and wished them success in commercialising their projects for long-term societal impact.
The award ceremony was attended by representatives from academia, industry and the development sector, including Professor Gurudas Nulkar, Director, Centre for Sustainable Development, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, along with leaders from India Accelerator, BAIF Development Research Foundation and IIMA Ventures.
Beyond the fellowship, Schaeffler India continues to pursue broader social development initiatives focused on STEM education, water conservation, agroforestry, climate-resilient agriculture, and community health, reinforcing its long-term commitment to sustainability and inclusive growth.
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