India-EU Ideathon Tackles Marine Plastic Pollution
The India-European Union (EU) Ideathon focused on tackling marine plastic pollution concluded with a final ceremony held on December 10, 2025, at the Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster. This event was part of a collaborative effort organized by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) to the Government of India and the Delegation of the European Union to India under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Working Group 2 dedicated to Green and Clean Energy Technologies.
Dr. Parvinder Maini, the Scientific Secretary of OPSA, delivered a thought-provoking keynote address, praising the collaborative spirit of participants from both India and Europe. “The Ideathon has demonstrated how coordinated scientific cooperation between India and the European Union can generate impactful and scalable solutions,” she stated, highlighting the dedication of young innovators to combat the global challenge of plastic pollution through inventive and community-focused strategies.
Strengthening Collaborative Research
Ms. Signe Ratso, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, reinforced the EU’s commitment to enhancing research collaboration through the TTC. She expressed satisfaction with the joint efforts to preserve river and marine ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of human health.
Dr. Rakesh Kaur, Adviser/Scientist ‘G’ at OPSA, pointed out how the Ideathon brought together scientific knowledge, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking from both regions. The ceremony began with a warm welcome from Dr. Hafsa Ahmad, Scientist ‘D’ at OPSA.
Presentation of Innovative Solutions
Mr. Kinchit Bihani, Research & Innovation Adviser from the Delegation of the EU to India, shared highlights from the Ideathon, detailing the engaging series of activities that included design-thinking workshops, mentoring sessions, and pitch training to guide the participants. In her closing remarks, Ms. Nienke Buisman, head of the International Cooperation Unit at the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, praised the high quality of ideas presented and reaffirmed the strength of the India-EU partnership, particularly in promoting green and clean technologies.
Participants presented solutions across three challenges: tracking marine plastics, developing effective removal technologies, and raising awareness in communities for prevention. A panel of esteemed jurors, including Dr. Pravakar Mishra and Prof. E.V. Ramasamy, evaluated the entries.
Winners Announced
The ceremony concluded with the announcement of the winning teams. Ocean Resilience India won in Challenge 1, Nautilus Nexus topped Challenge 2, and TrashTrek App prevailed in Challenge 3. Each of these teams will receive a cash prize of INR 5,00,000 from the Mphasis F1 Foundation, aimed at promoting technology-driven initiatives for social impact and sustainability. Additionally, the winners will benefit from incubation support to further develop their innovative solutions, along with certificates awarded to both the winners and the shortlisted finalists.
The event saw participation from over fifty individuals across India and various EU countries, including Spain, Germany, and Italy, representing a diverse group of officials, researchers, start-ups, and civil society organizations. The India-EU Ideathon underscored the commitment of both regions to fostering innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at combating marine plastic pollution, and the TTC Working Group 2 plans to build on this initiative for future collaborative scientific endeavors.
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