Bangalore, Karnataka, India:  CGI India, in collaboration with Learning Links Foundation and NITI Aayog, hosted the STEM SPARK Innovation Fest 2023-24 Grand Finale. This annual event aimed to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem for student-led innovations addressing community challenges. Students were required to align their innovative solutions with any of the UN Sustainable Development Goals to participate in the competition. Over 400 students from 100 schools in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana participated in the Fest. The top 10 models and prototypes from each state were shortlisted, and each team had 10 minutes to present their products to the jury members.
 
Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission along with Dr. Tessy Thomas, Missile Woman of India, and Rakesh Aerath, President, CGI, inaugurated the event. Dr. Thomas expressed, “STEM SPARK Innovation Fest is a testament to the brilliance and creativity of our young minds. Seeing students actively engaging with real-world problems and developing innovative solutions is heartening. I am pleased that CGI has supported this event, fostering an environment that nurtures the potential of future innovators in India.”
 
Mr. Rakesh Aerath emphasized, “As a leader in technology and consulting, CGI is committed to fostering innovation and empowering the next generation of leaders. The STEM SPARKInnovation Fest is a testament to the potential of our community engagement initiatives to drive positive change and make a difference to the world we live in.”
 
Mr. Ramesh K N, IAS, SPD, Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, stated, “It is really impressive to see that each innovative prototypes are solutions to the real-world problems and are aligned UN sustainable goals.” He graced the occasion as a special guest.
 
The guest of honour, Dr. Chintan Vaishnav remarked, "It's inspiring to witness the energy and ingenuity displayed by these young innovators. Initiatives like STEM SPARK Innovation Fest are crucial in nurturing the spirit of innovation among students.”
 
Dr. Vaishnav and other esteemed guests honoured the recipients of this year's STEM SPARK Innovation Fest. Mitesh from Padmashree Annasaheb Jadav Vidyala, Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, clinched the 1^st position for his groundbreaking Safeguard for Border Security Force project. Sahil Sanjay and Soham Marutie Pawar from Parashuram Joma Mhatre Vidyala, Panvel, Maharashtra, earned the prestigious Gold Medalist Award for their outstanding work on the Landslide Prevention System. Chandana M R and Gowrish M Y, students of Govt. High School, Peenya, Bangalore, Karnataka, bagged the Silver Excellence Award for their innovative project, Secure Slumber. Additionally, other notable awards were presented to the top 10 students.
 
All the jury members expressed their admiration for the innovative prototypes presented by the students. They encouraged the young minds to ideate as free thinkers and creators of solutions.
 
More than 200 students and teachers attended the Fest, marking the first physical mode of the STEM SPARK Innovation Fest since the pandemic.
 
The innovation fest also witnessed the launch of STEM@Home cards in Kannada, designed to be student-friendly and self-explanatory, on the AIM website. Moreover, InnoBot, an AI-powered Chatbot developed by CGI for the AIM website, was unveiled. The chatbot will soon be live on the website.