The runner-up Mother Diagnostic (a portable X-ray device for rural communities) will receive Rs 50,000.
A non-profit organisation Villgro Innovations Foundation recently organised a social enterprise event 'Unconvention|L' in partnership with TiE Chennai.
Over 200 people, including students, academics, NGO and corporate professionals and entrepreneurs, participated in the one-day event, which seeks to unearth and nurture social entrepreneurs in Chennai, build the ecosystem and grow the social enterprise movement in India.
The event also saw the announcement of the winners of Impact-a-preneur Quest, a business plan competition for entrepreneurs with businesses or ideas that have social impact.
The joint winners are LiQuid (developing a portable, affordable water purifier for rural communities) and Project iHeal (developing a test device for managing lung disease), who will receive Rs 2 lakh in cash, while the runner-up, Mother Diagnostic Systems (developing a portable X-ray device for rural communities), will receive Rs 50,000. All three companies will receive mentoring support from TiE Chennai, TiE membership, a Sankalp Unconvention Summit pass and the opportunity to be evaluated by Villgro for incubation and investment.
Founded by Paul Basil in the year 2001, Villgro is a social enterprise incubator, supporting innovators and social entrepreneurs during their early stages of growth. According to the website, Villgro have incubated over a 100 social enterprises with $76 million in seed funding, created 4,000 jobs and has impacted the lives of more than 6.8 million people in India.
Paul has co-founded the Lemelson Recognition and Mentoring Programme for Innovators in collaboration with IIT-Madras. He also co-founded Villgro Innovation Marketing Pvt Ltd, a unique retail chain for innovative products targeting the rural poor.
Unconvention|L Chennai was held on December 10, 2014 at Taj Connemara, Egmore, Chennai from 9 am to 2 pm. It is part of a series of 15 event events being organised by Villgro all over India.
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