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Update -- The last date for submission of entries has been extended to October 2009. Anyone interested can still apply.

‘Time waits for no man’ – which is true if you look around you. Speed has become an essential factor for everyone. Fast and efficient automobiles are the need of the day. But, if we all think about speed, there is one simple device which revolutionized speed itself – the wheel. The seemingly simple enough wheel changed the way man moved and has helped him explore his horizons since the past 170,000 years.

So what led to the invention of the wheel? A small word but one that has historically made huge impact on destinies of man and nation. Innovation.

While creativity has always been about thinking up new things, innovation is doing new things. As Michael Porter says, innovation is the key to economic prosperity. This thought was central to the establishment of the Marico Innovation Foundation when it was set up in March 2003 under the stewardship of Dr. Ramesh Mashelkar. The Foundation’s Mission is to Fuel Innovation in India, by providing the nation with a belief that Innovation is possible and is the way to leapfrog India into the center stage of global business leadership. “Unfortunately the ‘I’ in India has stood for Imitation and Inhibition for far too long; it’s high time it stood for Innovation”, says Dr. Mashelkar.

India has immense talent and we are of the most innovative lot in the world. It is evident around us, on how we Indians continuously strive to make the best of our circumstances and emerge triumphant by making use of ingenuity and innovation. Unfortunately a lot of this innovation does not reach a wide audience. And there was a need of a platform to give these millions of innovations across the country a global platform so others can learn and benefit from it too.

In keeping with the spirit of innovation, the Marico Innovation Foundation (www.maricoinnovationfoundation.org) has announced its 3rd edition of the Innovation for India Awards to be held on 12thMarch 2010 in Mumbai. Innovation for India Awards is the prestigious recognition for business and Social entities that have done some amazing breakthroughs that could hold lessons across all sectors

Its intent is to reward projects and businesses that make a real difference to India and community at large. Based on the criteria of uniqueness, impact & scalability, ‘India’s Best Innovations” are declared at these Awards. Over the last 3 years, 23 such innovators have been recognized which includes organisations like Kirloskar Brothers, BOSCH MICO and Titan Industries Limited & Azim Premji Foundation, MV Foundation, Trichy Police and Kudambashree, ITC IBD, Evalueserve. Tata Motors was recognized for their spirit of Innovation – The NANO by being bestowed with the Global Game Changer Award at the 2008 Awards.

The Awards nomination process for this year has started and applications are being invited till September 2009.

Any Indian company, social organization, government body and/or individuals who have successfully conceptualized and nurtured a brilliant idea, made it work and brought it to market is eligible to participate.

It could be a great opportunity for entrepreneur members of Indianstartup. If they win, they not only get recognition and a cash prize, but a chance to get mentored by the best brains in the business and network with VCs. The Award winners will get felicitated in Mumbai in the presence of industry stalwarts and some of the best innovators of the country.

The three categories under which Innovation will be awarded are –

Business Innovation (Products/Services, Business Model and Innovation in social space by a business organisation)

Social Innovation (innovation by a social organisation).

Public Services Innovation (innovations by Central or State governments or any wing of the government including public-private partnership)

For the purpose of evaluation of candidates, and architecting the awards process, the Marico Innovation Foundation uses Erehwon Innovation Consulting’s path-breaking innovation methodology and framework. This methodology has been used successfully for innovation evaluation across various platforms globally.

To apply for the Awards visit http://www.maricoinnovationfoundation.org/

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