Innovation For India Awards 2025

Sample Application Form – Business [For-Profit] Category

Please Note: This is only a Sample Application Form. This form cannot be used to
submit applications for the Innovation for India Awards 2025 organized by Marico
Innovation Foundation (MIF). All applications need to be submitted via the online
application form which is hosted on https://www.maricoinnovationfoundation.org/ only.
Entries sent via this offline application will be deemed invalid and will not be
considered for the Awards. The Marico Innovation Foundation is not responsible for any
such submissions.

The Innovation for India Awards recognizes currently hidden potentially, game-
changing Indian innovations that aim to create a significant social, environmental, or
economic impact. This year is particularly significant as we enter the 10th edition of the
awards, a testament to our legacy of recognizing and catalysing disruptive innovations.
The awards provide a gateway to recognition and a symbol of excellence to the
winners.

Applications for Awards can be filled under 2 categories:

• Business [For-profit] category: India-based for-profit organizations.

• Social [Not-for-profit] category: India-based not-for-profit individual or
organization (government entities, philanthropic bodies, charitable trusts,
multilateral agencies, community foundations, NGOs, and CSR/corporate funds).
Net impact should lead to equal opportunities and sustainable livelihoods.

Please note:

• Our evaluation criteria are based on four pillars: Innovation, Impact, Scalability,
and Long-term Viability.

• To be eligible, for-profit organizations should have been in operation for no more

than 8 years, and not-for-profit organizations should have been in operation for
no more than 12 years.

• The form is divided into 4 sections. It will take ~20 minutes to fill out the
form. Please save each section as you proceed.

If you have any queries, please reach out to mif@marico.com.

Please refer to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Disclaimer: All information received will be completely confidential and would not be put
forth in the public domain

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 Section 1 – Organization Details
_________________________________________________________________________

1) What is the name of your organization? *

XYZ Enterprises

2) Please provide a link to your organization’s website *

www.xyz.com

3) Email address of the organization *

xyz@example.com

4) Phone Number of the organization *

+91-94320 40040

5) Please select the date of incorporation for your organization *

12/06/2024

6) Please provide details of the founders (Minimum 1 required) *

Name* LinkedIn Profile* Email ID* Phone Number*

Co- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ cofounder01@xyz.com +91-9102842222

founder 1 cofounder01xyz
Name
Co- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ cofounder02@xyz.com +91-9032222224
founder 2 cofounder02xyz
Name

7) How did you hear about us? If someone referred you, please provide the name of the
individual / organization.
From Organization ABC

8) Please select the type of the organization *

a. Business [For-profit]
b. Social [Not-for-profit]

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 9) Please select the sector and industry your organization operates in. *
Sector
a. Agriculture and Allied
Activities
b. Waste Management
c. Climate
d. Manufacturing
e. Construction
f. Services Sector
g. IT/Software
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Industry
Traditional Agriculture
Agriculture Equipment
Agritech
Animal Husbandry
Horticulture
Fishing and Aquaculture
Others, please specify
Plastic Waste Management
Paper Waste Management
Water Waste Management
Other waste management, please specify
Renewable Energy (e.g., Solar, Wind, Hydro etc.)
Non-Renewable Energy (e.g., Coal, Petroleum etc.)
Clean-tech / Green-tech
Electric Energy
Green Hydrogen
Carbon Recycling
Circular Economy
Sustainable Materials
Others, please specify
Automobiles
Textiles and Apparel
Pharmaceuticals
Chemical and Petrochemical
Metallurgical
Food Processing
Cement
Machinery and Equipment
Others, please specify
Land and Real Estate
Construction Materials
Housing/Commercial Development
Others, please specify
Telecommunications
Banking and Financial Services
Retail and Wholesale Trade
Tourism and Hospitality
Healthcare
Education
Transport and Logistics
Media and Entertainment
Professional Services (apart from IT or ITeS)
Others, please specify
IT services
BPO
AI/ML/NLP
Analytics and Big Data
IoT
Cloud
Cyber Security
 Software Development
Others, please specify
h. Electronics Computer Hardware Manufacturing
Appliances Manufacturing
Other Electronic Hardware Manufacturing
Robotics
Others, please specify
i. Chemicals Bulk Chemicals
Chemical Transportation
Others, please specify
j. Others, please specify

If your answer to the above question was others, please specify

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 Section 2 – Innovation and Market
_________________________________________________________________________

10) Please provide a brief overview of the problem your innovation aims to solve. * (250
words)
Plastic waste is a growing menace in our communities, contributing significantly to
environmental degradation and posing severe health risks. With rapid urbanization and
increasing consumption of single-use plastics, local waste management systems are
struggling to keep up. This issue is compounded by the lack of public awareness and
engagement in proper waste disposal practices. Traditional recycling programs often fall
short due to inefficiencies, lack of incentives, and limited accessibility. Consequently,
plastic waste not only destroys the beauty of our neighbourhoods but also threatens
wildlife and contaminates water sources.

11) Please briefly describe the innovation your organization is working on, along with a
description of how the innovation addresses the problem you have mentioned. * (250
words)
Our startup offers an innovative approach for tackling domestic plastic waste through a
community-driven platform that incentivizes proper waste management. By integrating
technology and social engagement, our platform allows residents to easily track and
manage their plastic waste contributions. Users earn reward points for each contribution,
which can be redeemed for various benefits such as discounts on product purchases
from our platform. Additionally, regular awards and recognition programs foster a sense
of achievement and motivation among participants. Our platform also provides
educational resources to enhance public understanding of plastic waste issues and best
practices for recycling. By turning waste management into a rewarding and engaging
activity, we aim to create a cleaner, more sustainable environment while fostering a
strong sense of community responsibility.

12) As per your estimates, what is the potential size of the underlying market the innovation
caters to in the next 3 years? (In INR terms) *
a. Greater than 1,000 Cr
b. 500 to 1,000 Cr
c. 100 to 500 Cr
d. Less than 100 Cr

13) Does your innovation have any positive social or environmental impact? *
a. Yes
b. No
If yes, please provide details. * (100 words)
Our platform creates significant social impact by fostering community engagement,
promoting environmental stewardship, and reducing plastic pollution. It empowers
residents to take active roles in waste management, enhances public awareness
on sustainability, and builds stronger and more connected communities through
shared responsibility and reward-based participation.
If yes, please upload document for proof (if any)

14) Have you secured any patents for your innovation? *

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 a. Yes
b. No
If yes, please provide details *
This is the text for patent proof describing the patent we have acquired.

Please upload the proof of document for the patent *

(Attached document)

15) Please select the relevant answer about your innovation (Please select as many options
as applicable) *
a. Our innovation is the first of its kind in the world.
b. Our innovation is the first of its kind in India.
c. Our innovation is the first of its kind in the industry.
d. Our innovation has the potential to disrupt the current market/industry.
e. Our innovation is a substantial improvement on an existing alternative.
f. Our innovation is similar to an existing alternative but has been adapted to a new use
case.

16) Please provide details to substantiate your response to the above question (If your
innovation has an existing alternative then please provide name of organization who
owns the alternative along with website link; and state how your innovation is different). *
(250 words)
Our innovative platform stands out from existing solutions in India by combining
technology-driven waste management with community-based incentives, a novel
approach in the Indian context. Unlike traditional recycling programs that often lack user
engagement and tangible rewards, our platform offers a user-friendly app that tracks
individual contributions and rewards participants with redeemable points and awards.
This gamified approach not only motivates residents to actively participate in waste
segregation and recycling but also fosters a sense of community ownership and
responsibility. Additionally, our platform provides educational resources tailored to local
context, empowering users with knowledge and best practices for sustainable living.

17) Please outline any direct/indirect competitors for your innovation and describe how your
innovation provides a competitive advantage in the market. * (250 words)
The competition in India’s waste management sector is diverse, encompassing a range
of government initiatives, NGOs, and private enterprises. Traditional players include
municipal corporations and established waste management companies that handle
large-scale collection and processing. Recently, tech-driven startups have entered the
market, offering digital platforms for waste segregation and recycling. However, many
existing solutions often struggle with scalability and user engagement. Despite the
competitive landscape, there remains a significant gap in effectively combining
technology with community incentives to drive sustained behavioural change, presenting
an opportunity for innovative approach (like ours) to make a substantial impact.

18) Does the innovation have the potential to be applied in any other use cases?
a. Yes
b. No
If yes, please mention in detail including the potential size of the opportunity. (250
words)

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 Section 3 - Financials, Funding & Risk
_________________________________________________________________________

19) Please select the net revenue generated/cost saved because of the innovation in FY24.
(in INR terms) *
a. Less than 50 Lakhs
b. Between 50 Lakhs to 1 Cr
c. Between 1 to 2 Cr
d. Between 2 to 5 Cr
e. Greater than 5 Cr

20) Is the innovation profitable at EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and
Amortizations)? *
a. Yes
b. No

If your answer is No, how long would it take for the innovation/idea to be profitable (in
EBITDA terms) as per your best estimation? *
a. Less than a year
b. 1 to 3 years
c. Greater than 3 years
d. Not possible to determine

21) What is the affordability of your innovation as compared to direct or indirect alternatives
in the market? *
a. Our innovation is cheaper than the alternative(s) (direct/indirect).
b. Our innovation is priced same as the alternative(s) (direct/indirect).
c. Our innovation is costlier than the alternatives (direct/indirect).
d. Not applicable

22) What is the CAGR (growth rate - %) for net revenue generated/cost savings from the
innovation over the last 3 years? (If the innovation is less than 3 years old, mention
CAGR since inception)
a. Less than 5%
b. 5% to 10%
c. Greater than 10% to 20%
d. Greater than 20% to 40%
e. Greater than 40%

23) What is the planned/expected CAGR (growth rate - %) for net revenue generated/cost
saved because of the innovation in the next 3 years?
a. Less than 5%
b. 5% to 10%
b. Greater than 10% to 20%
c. Greater than 20% to 40%
d. Greater than 40%

24) Please select the correct statement regarding the organization’s operation footprint. *
a. We operate both in India and outside currently.
b. We operate only in India currently. But we are planning to expand outside India.

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 c. We operate only in India currently and we are not considering expanding outside
India.

25) Which of the following best describes your current funding source? (Please select as
many options as applicable) *
a. Bootstrapping / Self-financing
b. Self-financed through debt
c. Government Grants
d. Angel Investors
e. PE/VC

26) Please provide brief details on the current source of funding. How is the organization
planning to finance future growth? (250 words)
We are currently being funded through few prominent Angel investors: 1. Angle 01 -
serial entrepreneur with investments in technology and sustainability ventures; 2. Angle
02 – Founder of NewIndia Capital, which supports new age tech companies with a
scalability focus. These investors bring valuable expertise and funding to support and
scale our innovative platform. In the future, we expect to support growth through
company profits or finance through debts from institutions.
27) What are the various business continuity risks associated with the innovation? And how
are you planning to mitigate such risks? (250 words)
The business continuity risks associated with our innovative plastic waste management
platform include technological failures, user engagement decline, regulatory changes,
and operational disruptions. We plan to mitigate these by
• Implementing robust cybersecurity measures, regular system updates, and
reliable data backup solutions for technological issues
• Continuously enhancing our reward system and conducting regular community
feedback sessions to maintain user engagement
• Staying informed of policy developments, maintaining operational flexibility, and
engaging with regulatory bodies to address regulatory changes
• Establishing contingency plans, diversifying logistics partners, and developing a
robust disaster recovery strategy to handle operational disruptions

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 Section 4 - Additional Information
_________________________________________________________________________

28) Please attach a pitch deck/write-up or any other document (which covers your business
performance, target market, financial projections, uniqueness of your business, business
model and team details) related to the innovation / your organization that could be
relevant to your application. *
(Attached document)

29) Please mention any previous awards won by the innovation. (100 words)
Our organization has not yet received any awards for our innovation. As a new entrant in
the field of community-based plastic waste management, we are focused on building a
robust and impactful platform, and we look forward to pursuing recognition and
accolades in the future as we grow and demonstrate our success.

30) Please upload any proof of registration for the organization.

(Proof may include any of the following: Copies of Articles of Association/ Memorandum
of Association / Certificate of Incorporation / Proprietorship affidavit in case of Company/
Proprietary Firm/ Partnership Firm/ JV etc., as applicable.)
(Attached document)

31) Please upload any documents containing information on the financials.

(Audited/Self Attested)
(Attached document)

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 Thank you for filling out the form.
Please click on submit to confirm your entry for Innovation for India
Awards 2025.

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