Mumbai, 9 April 2025

The Indian Digital Gaming Society (IDGS) has announced the top 10 finalists of the Innovate2Educate: Handheld Device Design challenge. The competition, organised by the IDGS in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as part of the upcoming World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, is aimed at driving innovation among the youth at the intersection of technology, education, and gaming, inspiring breakthrough ideas and design for handheld devices that can revolutionize learning experiences.

Launched as a key initiative of WAVES 2025 Create in India Challenge, the Innovate2Educate challenge invited students, designers, startups, and tech enthusiasts from across the world to envision next-generation portable devices that blend entertainment with education for diverse user groups.

The top 10 finalists have been selected from 1856 registration of innovative ideas after rigorous evaluation by an expert jury panel comprising industry leaders, technologists, educators, and designers. The jury includes Mr Indrajit Ghosh, Co-Founder, Eruditio; Mr Rajeev Nagar, Country Manager, Inda and SAARC, Huion; and Mr Jeffrey Cray, Co-Founder and Product Head, Squid Academy.

The 10 finalists are:

1. KARNATA PARVA - Code Craft Junior (Karnataka)
2. VIDYARTHI - Smart Learning Tablet for Kids: An Interactive and Adaptive Educational Companion (Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh)
3. TECH TITANS - Smart Handwriting Learning Device with Interactive Writing Assistance (Tamil Nadu)
4. PROTOMINDS – EduSpark (Delhi, Kerala, UP, Bihar)
5. APEX ACHIEVERS - BODMAS Quest: Gamified Math Learning For Smarter Education (Tamil Nadu)
6. SCIENCEVERSE - The Imperative of Interactive Educational Handheld Devices for Children (Indonesia)
7. V20 - VFit - Interactive Learning Through Play (Tamil Nadu)
8. WARRIORS- Maha-shastra (Dehi)
9. KIDDYMAITRI- A Handheld Mathematical Gaming Console (Mumbai, Odisha, Karnataka)
10. E-GROOTS- Micro Controller Mastery Kit (Tamil Nadu)

Talking about the competition, Rajan Navani, President of Indian Digital Gaming Society, said that the challenge has demonstrated how India's creative and technological talent can design solutions that address real educational needs while leveraging the power of gamification and interactive content.

Ashutosh Mohle, the nodal officer from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the Innovate2Educate challenge said that the WAVES Handheld Videogame Design Challenge is not just about gaming—it's about nurturing a new wave of innovation in India's hardware ecosystem. “By leveraging microcontrollers and aligning with the goals of the India Semiconductor Mission, we're pushing young minds to dream, design, and build at the intersection of creativity and technology,” he said.

The top 10 shortlisted teams will present their ideas at a special showcase during the WAVES 2025 in Mumbai. The winners of the challenge will be felicitated at the grand finale by the ministry.

About Indian Digital Gaming Society

The IDGS is a premier industry body promoting video gaming and esports, interactive media, and digital entertainment in India, fostering talent development, innovation, and industry collaborations.

About WAVES

The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit, a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.

Whether you're an industry professional, investor, creator, or innovator, the Summit offers the ultimate global platform to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute to the M&E landscape.

WAVES is set to magnify India’s creative strength, amplifying its position as a hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. Industries and sectors in focus include Broadcasting, Print Media, Television, Radio, Films, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Sound and Music, Advertising, Digital Media, Social Media Platforms, Generative AI, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).

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