Maruti Suzuki India Limited concluded its inaugural Design Challenge on December 26, 2025, drawing participation from more than 400 students across 70 design institutes in India and internationally. The competition tasked participants with designing compact cars and mobility solutions.
Three teams secured the top positions after four rounds of evaluation. Students from MIT Institute of Design in Pune claimed first place, while teams from the Association of Designers of India at VIT in Vellore and Strate School of Design in Bengaluru finished second and third.
The winning teams received cash prizes and six-month internships with Maruti Suzuki's design team. Seven additional teams received gift vouchers and potential internship opportunities pending further evaluation.
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, stated that the initiative represents an expansion of the company's open innovation efforts. "Design plays a pivotal role in shaping customers' decision-making," Takeuchi said, noting the importance of engaging with young designers who bring different perspectives to automotive design.
The winning interns will work with Maruti Suzuki's professional designers and contribute to the development of future vehicle models. The company announced plans to make the Design Challenge an annual event.
Maruti Suzuki has been engaging with startups on mobility solutions. The Design Challenge extends this approach to design students, providing them with industry experience in automobile design. The company stated the initiative aims to build a design ecosystem and respond to changing customer expectations in the mobility sector.