A group of innovative Cranfield University students are poised to make waves on the international stage and rub shoulders with world leaders with a special invitation to a G20 Summit partner event.
The Innovious team has already reached the final six of the Hult Prize and stands to potentially win $1million USD to fund their innovative idea, which centres around the development of biodegradable packaging for the fashion industry, aimed at combatting the pressing issue of plastic waste.
Now, the team is preparing to be represented by member Chenali Bisen at Impact-G20X, a startup showcase event in New Delhi, India, on September 9-10. Impact-G20X is an official partner event of the G20 Summit in Delhi, where world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to attend.
Out of a pool of more than 500 nominations from across the globe, Innovious emerged as one of the 40 startups selected to participate in Impact-G20X. It will give the team the chance to have their ideas presented on stage as well as having a dedicated display booth at the showcase.
On a mission to change the fashion industry
The team is made up of students on Cranfield University’s MSc Management and Entrepreneurship course - Chenali Bisen, Ksheetij Patel, Dhiyaneshwaran Radhakrishnan, Suci Nurwidia, and Surender Kumar.
Dhiyaneshwaran said: "Innovious is on a mission to change the fashion industry’s contribution to plastic waste by introducing sustainable packaging solutions.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to participate at Impact-G20X and bring our idea to the forefront of the global stage.
"Our journey from the Hult Prize competition to the Impact-G20X finals has been filled with determination and hard work and we look forward to making a positive impact at this prestigious event."
A staggering 20,000 teams worldwide initially joined the Hult Prize competition, and Innovious fought their way to the top six, triumphing over 900 teams in Tunis last month to secure their place in the finals in Paris later this month.
Each of the six finalists has already received $100,000 in funding.
Dr Oksana Koryak, Director of the MSc Management and Entrepreneurship program at Cranfield University, said: "The success of the Innovious team is a testament to their dedication and innovative thinking. Cranfield University is proud to support them in their mission to address the global issue of plastic waste in the fashion industry. We wish them the best of luck at Impact-G20X.”
