Schaeffler India Announces Winners of Social Innovator Fellowship Program

Schaeffler India has announced the winners of its fourth Social Innovator Fellowship Program, which supports young changemakers addressing environmental and societal challenges through scalable, technology-driven solutions.

The program received over 460 registrations from more than 21 states across India since enrollment opened in July 2025, with 172 eligible applications submitted. Following a rigorous screening process that included evaluations and prototype demonstrations, 10 exceptional projects were selected from 103 shortlisted applicants.

Each winning project will receive a grant of INR 1.75 lakh and access to an intensive 24-week hybrid mentorship program at IIM Ventures at IIM Ahmedabad. The program provides tools, frameworks, industry expert mentoring, and resources to help innovators develop market-ready solutions and scale their impact.

The fellowship was open to individuals, groups, institutions, and organizations aged 18-35 working on challenges in environmental sustainability, renewable energy, carbon neutrality, circular economy, natural resource management, and technology applications in the social sector.

Harsha Kadam, MD and CEO of Schaeffler India, emphasized the company's commitment to environmental, social, and governance principles. "The Social Innovator Fellowship Program speaks volumes of Schaeffler's commitment to ESG and building not just a technologically advanced business model but being sensitive to the environment we operate in," Kadam stated. He noted the program aims to identify and empower young changemakers developing scalable solutions that can make a sustainable impact on society.

The award ceremony featured prominent guests including Professor Gurudas Nulkar, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics; Munish Bhatia, Co-Founder of India Accelerator and CEO of Bharat Ventures; Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee of BAIF Development Research Foundation; and Ankur Sohanpal, AVP of IIMA Ventures.

Beyond the fellowship program, Schaeffler India continues social development initiatives including STEM education in underserved areas, water conservation, agroforestry, climate-resilient agriculture, and community health projects. The company operates five manufacturing plants in India, three research and development centers, seven sales offices, and maintains a workforce of over 3,700 employees.