Dana India announces winners of Innovation Challenge 2.0

Dana India Technical Centre (DITC) has announced the successful completion of the Dana Innovation Challenge 2.0, organised in collaboration with the College of Engineering Pune’s (COEP) Bhau Institute of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership.

COEP's Bhau Institute is a startup incubation centre dedicated to facilitating the development of entrepreneurs and the creation of start-up companies.

The Dana Innovation Challenge 2.0 invited startups to present their innovative ideas and after undergoing a rigorous selection process, eight startups were chosen to pitch to a jury of Dana representatives and external experts. The winning startups will have the opportunity to work from the newly inaugurated Dana Innovation Studio at the COEP's Bhau Institute, a key component of Dana’s CSR strategy.

The winners are:
- Arpit Chahande, YellowMatrix
- Ganesh Shelke, Dopar Energy
- Dhivit Bhandari, DB Potential
- Srishti Sharma, Shakti Wearables, Innovationsatss
- Himanshu Sahu, Voltworks Technologies 

These winners of Dana Innovation Challenge 2.0 will be part of Dana Innovation Studio Program, a 12-month intensive CSR initiative supported by Dana in collaboration with COEP’s Bhau Institute, offering selected startups comprehensive support. Winners will receive technological development assistance from Dana India, testing and industry monitoring by Dana experts, access to COEP’s Bhau Institute infrastructure and lab facilities, and extensive business mentoring. Additionally, they will benefit from networking opportunities, funding prospects, and scaling support.  

Raghu Muttige, Director and Head of the Dana India Technical Centre (DITC), and part of the jury, expressed his support for the initiative, stating, "The Dana National Innovation Challenge 2.0, a part of Dana India’s CSR efforts, exemplifies our commitment to fostering creativity and excellence, helping today's innovators become tomorrow's industry leaders. Through our collaboration with CoEP’s Bhau Institute, we aim to provide startups with the resources, mentorship, and technological support necessary to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality. This initiative drives technological advancements in the automotive industry and contributes to sustainable development and economic growth."

“At CoEP’s Bhau Institute, we are dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Our collaboration with Dana India through the Dana Innovation Challenge 2.0 is a powerful testament to our shared vision of empowering startups to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality. This partnership not only accelerates technological advancements but also drives sustainable economic growth. We are proud to support the next generation of industry leaders,” said Mandar Joshi, CEO, COEP’s Bhau Institute. Dana stays committed to taking up such groundbreaking projects and contributing towards innovation and development.