The fourth edition of the AIM-ICDK Water Innovation Challenge 4.0 successfully concluded at the 2024 Next Generation Digital Action (NGDA) in Copenhagen, Denmark, marking a significant achievement in the growing Indo-Danish Green Strategic Partnership.

This year’s challenge reinforced its position as a premier platform for fostering innovative and sustainable solutions to global water issues. The challenge brought together key collaborators, including Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, Innovation Centre Denmark (ICDK), and DTU Skylab under the DTU Next Generation Action Program, alongside invaluable support from the International Centre for Clean Water (ICCW), the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Embassy of Denmark, Denmark’s Environmental Protection Agency, and the DANIDA Fellowship.

The partnership between India and Denmark has proven instrumental in driving impactful innovation. The AIM-ICDK Water Innovation Challenge has been particularly effective in empowering young innovators from both countries to address urgent environmental challenges.

Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, emphasized the importance of this initiative “The AIM-ICDK Water Challenge, now in its fourth year, exemplifies India and Denmark’s commitment to fostering sustainable, innovative solutions for global water challenges. Our young innovators’ remarkable achievements at the Next Gen Digital Action 2024 in Copenhagen underscore the power of international collaboration in addressing pressing environmental issues.”

The challenge encourages not only technological innovation but also practical solutions with the potential for long-term impact. Teams from both India and Denmark showcased groundbreaking solutions to improve water management, conservation, and accessibility. This year’s event highlighted the growing synergy between the two nations in technology, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.

Consul General and Head of Trade and Innovation at the Consulate General of Denmark in Bangalore Eske Bo Rosenberg, shared his optimism about the collaboration and said “India’s participation at the Next Generation Digital Action and Digital Tech Summit showcases the strength of Indo-Danish relations in addressing global challenges. It is inspiring to see young entrepreneurs developing solutions that embody the spirit of global cooperation, advancing our shared goals for sustainable development and innovation.”

The Indian delegation included five startup teams that participated in the global Next Generation Digital Action program, engaging with young talents from leading universities and innovation hubs in 10 countries. Among them, the three university teams — Clim8 (VIT Vellore), Checkmate (VIT Vellore), and Qualgrip (IIT Madras) — alongside early-stage startups Navmarg and Scrapify, developed promising solutions that tackle critical global water challenges.

Notably, Clim8, a team of three young innovators from VIT Vellore, won the Acceleration Award for the challenge posed by South Africa on ‘Leveraging Machine Learning and AI for Infrastructure Pricing’. They were also recognized with the Best Startup Award in the national category.

The Indian delegation was honored with a reception hosted by Ambassador of India to the  Kingdom of Denmark,  H.E. Manish Prabhat, where he praised the contributions of the young innovators. He said “The success of this collaboration highlights the growing partnership between India and Denmark in tackling environmental and technological challenges. The achievements of the AIM-ICDK Water Innovation Challenge reflect our joint commitment to fostering sustainable solutions and supporting the next generation of innovators who will shape the future.” The delegation also participated in the Tech Bazaar organized by DTU Skylab, bringing together diplomats, industry leaders, and innovators from around the world.

Over the course of the week, the participating teams attended intensive boot camps and pitch sessions, culminating at the Digital Tech Summit held from October 30-31, 2024, in Copenhagen city ,Denmark. The success of this year’s AIM-ICDK Water Innovation Challenge strengthens the Indo-Danish partnership and sets the stage for future collaborations that will continue to drive impactful, scalable solutions for global sustainability.