Nasscom Foundation, in collaboration with Ciena, hosted Techforchange- Cohort 4: Innovate X 2026, a CSR initiative supported by Ciena, at Jacaranda Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event brought together student innovators, technology leaders, mentors, university representatives, programme alumni and members of India’s innovation ecosystem to celebrate ideas that are moving from classrooms and laboratories towards real-world application.

Five student-led ventures were selected to receive seed funding of ₹5 lakh each, along with continued mentoring and incubation support. The showcase marked a major milestone within the ongoing Cohort 4 journey, giving ten finalist teams a platform to present solutions shaped through ideation, prototyping, technical and business mentorship, user validation and venture development.

The event opened with a programme highlight film, followed by a welcome address by Jyoti Sharma, CEO, Nasscom Foundation. Vineet Vohra, Vice President, Software Engineering Applications, Ciena, delivered the opening remarks. Vitasta Tiwari, Innovation Lead, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India, delivered the keynote address, while Arvind Thakur, Trustee, Nasscom Foundation, addressed the gathering on the role of purpose-led technology in building social value.

Ten teams, ten pathways to impact

The ten finalists reflected the breadth of problems that young innovators are choosing to solve, from circular manufacturing and accessible education to healthcare, agriculture, disaster response and responsible corporate partnerships. The teams presented in the following order:

1. CorpoGN technologies: A digital platform that helps corporates discover and connect with verified NGOs, strengthening due diligence, transparency and CSR collaboration.

2. Orova: Led by founder Aryan Jaimini, Orova is building Metalmate, an AI-powered circular manufacturing platform that analyses industrial metal scrap, recommends optimised product designs and connects industries with local artisans to transform waste into market-ready products.

3. Alevora: A modular, rechargeable and solar-powered agricultural machine designed to help small farmers perform multiple tasks through interchangeable attachments.

4. WearEase: A technology-enabled fashion platform that combines home trials, AI-assisted styling and alteration support to improve fit, convenience and customer confidence.

5. BioQuantix: A healthcare innovation focused on making early screening and diagnostic insight more accessible and actionable through technology.

6. Stratasense Technologies: A sensor-network and AI-led system for covert motion detection and classification in high-sensitivity monitoring environments.

7. Jatayu: An AI and drone-powered disaster-response system designed to support casualty detection, SOS communication and the rapid delivery of medical or communication kits.

8. CaviSafe: A preventive oral-care lozenge designed to support cavity prevention, oral pH balance and better everyday dental-health habits.

9. Canvasly: An assistive learning solution that uses tactile and audio interaction to make STEM concepts more accessible to visually impaired learners.

10. ZeStraw: A climate-focused solution that converts rice straw, or parali, into biodegradable tableware, creating an alternative to plastic while opening new value pathways for agricultural waste.

The teams were evaluated by a multidisciplinary jury comprising Mandakini Singh, Head of Legal, Ciena India; Vineet Vohra, Vice President, Software Engineering Applications, Ciena; Himanshu Joshi, Program Lead, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog; and Deepak Boora, Director - Cyber Workforce Diversity, Data Security Council of India. The evaluation considered the clarity of the problem, relevance of the technology, feasibility, user adoption, scalability and potential for measurable social impact.

A growing ecosystem for student-led social innovation

Since its inception in August 2020, the initiative has grown from a two-institution pilot into a multi-university innovation ecosystem. Across four cohorts, it has received 611 ideas and applications. Cohort 4 alone engaged 360 students and received 250 ideas from more than 14 colleges. The cohort journey included 221 Ideation Track teams, 52 Prototyping Track teams and 25 Start-up Track teams.

At the programme-reporting stage, Cohort 4 had delivered 18 workshops, four webinars, one hackathon and 333.5 hours of mentoring, while supporting the development of 34 prototypes. These numbers represent more than programme activity. They reflect hundreds of students learning how to understand a problem more deeply, test assumptions, respond to feedback and build solutions that can be used, trusted and sustained.

Jyoti Sharma, CEO, Nasscom Foundation, said:

“Young people are not short of ideas. What they need is an ecosystem that helps them test, refine and take those ideas forward. Innovate X 2026 shows what becomes possible when technology, mentorship, universities and industry come together around real social challenges. The teams in Cohort 4 have not only built prototypes; they have learned to listen to users, question assumptions and design for impact.”

Vineet Vohra, Vice President, Software Engineering Applications, Ciena, said:

“Purposeful innovation begins with a clear understanding of the problem and the people it affects. Through this initiative, students receive the technical guidance, industry exposure and confidence needed to move from an idea to a credible solution. Ciena is proud to support young innovators who are building responsibly and with a strong commitment to real-world outcomes.”

Learning from alumni and documenting the journey

The event also featured a fireside conversation with programme alumni Harsh Dabas, CEO of Uni-Wheel; Arif Jamal, CEO of KrishiGro; and Shivam Gupta, CEO of House Technologies. Moderated by Alok Panday, Lead - Marketing & Communications, Nasscom Foundation, the conversation explored what changes when a team moves from an idea to a working prototype, begins listening to users and prepares for pilots, partnerships and adoption.

The Impact Compendium, From Ideas to Impact: Empowering Student Innovators, Building India’s Innovation Ecosystem, was formally launched during the event. The publication documents the partnership journey from 2020 to 2026, the progression of four cohorts, independent evaluation findings, alumni achievements and stories of ventures that have continued to grow beyond the programme.

University representatives were recognised for creating the institutional conditions that allow student innovation to grow. The event also included the People’s Choice Innovator Award, jury felicitation and the seed-funding ceremony. Siddhartha Pande, Senior Director, Programs, Nasscom Foundation, delivered the closing remarks, reinforcing that the journey from an idea to impact is built through evidence, iteration, mentorship and sustained partnerships.

Beyond the showcase

The five selected ventures will continue to receive support as they strengthen their prototypes, refine their business models, conduct user and market validation, and explore pathways to pilots and wider adoption. Cohort 4 continues through December 2026, with the focus remaining on helping promising student-led solutions become responsible, inclusive and scalable ventures.

Through the partnership between Ciena and Nasscom Foundation, the programme continues to bring students, universities, mentors, industry experts and incubators together around a shared purpose: enabling young people to use technology not only to imagine a better future, but to begin building it.

About the programme

Techforchange- Cohort 4: Innovate X 2026, a CSR initiative supported by Ciena, is part of a social innovation and entrepreneurship programme formerly known as Ciena Spaces and implemented in partnership with Nasscom Foundation. The programme supports student innovators in transforming socially relevant ideas into viable technology-led solutions through structured learning in emerging technologies and business fundamentals, technical and business mentoring, prototype-development support, industry exposure, seed funding and incubation opportunities.

About Nasscom Foundation

Established in 2001, Nasscom Foundation has witnessed the transformative power of technology for over two decades. Part of the nasscom ecosystem, we are a neutral not-for-profit organisation representing the Indian tech industry. We remain rooted in our core philosophy of TechForGood, where our efforts are focused on unlocking the power of technology by creating access and opportunity for those who need it the most. We work on helping people and institutions transform the way they tackle social and economic challenges through technology. We have five key areas of intervention: Digital Literacy, Skilling and Employability, Women Entrepreneurship, Scaling Social Innovation and Empowering NGO Ecosystem.

About Ciena

Ciena is the global leader in high-speed connectivity. We build the world’s most advanced networks to support exponential growth in bandwidth demand. By harnessing the power of our networking systems, interconnects, automation software, and services, Ciena revolutionizes data transmission and network management. With unparalleled expertise and innovation, we empower our customers, partners, and communities to thrive in the AI era. For updates on Ciena, follow us on LinkedIn or visit the Ciena website.