In an interview, Anurag Gupta, CEO & Founder, STEMROBO Technologies, speaks with TimesTech about the vision behind the ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge and its role in transforming India from a technology consumer to a creator. He highlights how hands-on learning, mentorship, and early-stage support can empower students to build scalable, real-world solutions while fostering a strong culture of innovation across schools and colleges nationwide.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: The ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge is a significant step toward nurturing grassroots innovation. What inspired STEMROBO Technologies to launch this initiative, and how does it align with your broader vision for India’s innovation ecosystem?
Anurag: The inspiration behind the ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge also stems from a larger national conversation around India’s position in the global technology landscape. In recent times, especially amid debates questioning whether India is primarily a consumer of technology rather than a creator, we felt a strong need to shift this narrative in a constructive and action-driven way.
Through our extensive work on the ground with schools and colleges, we have consistently seen that India has immense untapped potential. Students are curious, capable, and full of ideas—but often lack the right guidance, structured pathways, and access to early-stage capital to bring those ideas to life.
This realization led us to design the ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge as more than just a competition—it is an attempt to become a catalyst for transformation. Our goal is to identify and support one powerful idea that can evolve into a real, impactful solution, while also inspiring thousands of others to take the first step toward innovation.
This initiative aligns with our broader vision of building a strong, self-reliant innovation ecosystem where India moves from consuming technology to actively creating it at scale.
TimesTech: One of the biggest challenges in India is bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world application. How does this challenge enable students to transition from theoretical knowledge to building market-ready solutions?
Anurag: A key challenge in India’s education system is that learning often remains confined to theory, with limited opportunities for real-world application. Students acquire knowledge, but rarely get the platform to test, build, and validate their ideas in practical environments.
The ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge is designed to directly address this gap. It encourages students to move beyond textbooks and work on real-world problems, where they are required to not just ideate but also build prototypes, test their solutions, and think about usability and scalability.
This process introduces them to the realities of innovation—understanding user needs, refining solutions, and adapting to challenges. It transforms learning into a hands-on experience, where concepts are applied with purpose.
By doing so, the challenge helps students transition from passive learners to active problem-solvers, equipping them with the mindset and skills required to build solutions that are not only innovative but also practical and market-ready.
TimesTech: With the growing importance of STEM, AI, and robotics, how do you see such initiatives shaping the next generation of job creators rather than job seekers in India?
Anurag: India is at a pivotal moment where the focus of education must shift from producing job seekers to nurturing job creators. With the rapid rise of technologies like AI and robotics, the opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship have expanded significantly.
However, building this mindset requires early exposure. Through our work, we have observed that when students are given the right platform, they naturally begin to think beyond conventional career paths.
The ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge plays a crucial role in enabling this shift. It encourages students to take ownership of ideas, solve real problems, and think about building solutions that can create value. This exposure fosters entrepreneurial thinking, resilience, and creativity.
Over time, such initiatives help students see themselves not just as future employees, but as innovators and creators who can build ventures, generate employment, and contribute to economic growth. This is essential for shaping a future-ready and self-sustaining workforce for India.
TimesTech: Beyond funding, mentorship and commercialization support are critical for startups. How will STEMROBO ensure that participants receive the right guidance and ecosystem support to scale their ideas?
Anurag: While funding is an important enabler, we strongly believe that the success of any idea depends on the ecosystem built around it. Many promising innovations fail not due to lack of potential, but due to absence of guidance, mentorship, and direction.
Through the ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge, our focus is on providing a well-rounded support system. Participants will have access to mentors, industry experts, and technical guidance to help them refine their ideas and navigate challenges.
We will also support them in understanding product development, validation, and go-to-market strategies—areas where early-stage innovators often struggle. The aim is to bridge the gap between ideation and execution.
By combining funding with structured mentorship and ecosystem support, we are ensuring that participants are not just building projects for the challenge, but are guided towards creating scalable and sustainable solutions that can succeed in the real world.
TimesTech: India has long been seen as a technology consumer. How can initiatives like the ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge contribute to building a stronger culture of indigenous innovation and product development?
Anurag: The perception of India as primarily a technology consumer is something that needs to evolve. While we have made significant progress, the next phase of growth lies in building and scaling indigenous innovations.
From our experience on the ground, the capability is already present. What is needed is the right push—platforms that encourage students to think independently, solve local problems, and build original solutions.
The ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge is a step in that direction. By encouraging participants to create solutions using AI and robotics, we are promoting a culture of innovation that is rooted in real-world needs and local relevance.
Such initiatives help build confidence among young innovators, enabling them to believe that they can create, not just consume. Over time, this will contribute to a stronger ecosystem of homegrown technologies and startups, positioning India as a global creator of innovation.
TimesTech: What kind of impact do you expect this initiative to have on innovation culture at the school and college level, and how do you plan to sustain engagement beyond the challenge itself?
Anurag: The impact of the ₹10 Lakh Innovation Challenge extends beyond the duration of the program. At its core, it is about building a long-term culture of innovation within schools and colleges.
We expect this initiative to encourage institutions to adopt more hands-on, experiential learning approaches, where students are motivated to experiment, build, and solve problems continuously. It also creates an environment where innovation becomes a regular practice rather than a one-time activity.
To sustain this momentum, STEMROBO will continue to engage with participants through innovation labs, mentorship programs, advanced training, and future challenges. Our goal is to create a continuous pipeline where students are consistently supported in their innovation journey.
This is not just about one challenge—it is about creating a movement where innovation becomes an integral part of education, and every student is empowered with the opportunity, guidance, and confidence to bring their ideas to life.
