Challenge Details

ISPIC 2021 will be divided into two separate tracks

Track 1 and Track 2 are designed depending on the maturity of the solution and startup. In both cases, applicants will go through an initial Smart Protein Digital Lab — a pivotal, formative experience for any smart protein innovator’s journey. In the later phases of each track, participants will access instruction and mentorship in the form of focused webinars and advisory sessions from GFI India’s team and industry experts.

INDUCTION

Dive deep into the science & business of the soaring smart protein sector and get certified!

All challenge participants will take part in the mandatory Smart Protein Digital Lab. The lab is an online platform built by GFI India, featuring 40+ hours of educational content across all three technology areas of smart protein — plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated.
The content features both technical and business resources to equip participants with the necessary background to ideate on and solve for some of the biggest challenges the industry faces globally.
Upon successful completion, participants will be certified from GFI India’s Smart Protein Digital Lab 2021 and moved into the competition’s second phase. Please refer to our evaluation criteria for more details.

Network with hundreds of fellow Smart Protein Innovators with complementary backgrounds, form teams, and unleash your creativity in a collaborative proposal.

Based on eligibility, individual participants are moved into Track 1 or Track 2. Participants will undergo match-making to form teams of 3 to 4, as per the prerequisites laid out in each track by GFI India and our challenge partners.
The Innovation track will focus on coming up with innovative, theoretical solutions to technologically advanced industry problem statements suited for students and researchers. You can find a list of challenge statements across plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated protein here.
The Entrepreneurship track will focus on building a potential commercial venture in the smart protein sector, suited for students, professionals, and entrepreneurs. You can find themes across plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated protein value chain here. . Teams must ideate and submit a potential technological solution and/or business proposal.
Teams will begin writing a 5-page collaborative proposal based on the evaluation criteria.
Up to 15 teams across each track and technology category will advance into Phase 3.

IDEATION

INSPIRATION

The stakes are higher than ever — the top 15-25 teams from Track 1 and Track 2 will gain mentorship and inspiration from top investors and advisors, and turn their 5-page proposal into a detailed 20-page plan.

Teams focus on developing their proposed solutions further and validating their assumptions. During this phase, teams will receive mentorship support from our challenge partners, tailored to their Track requirements.
In the Innovation track, teams will work on developing a technologically feasible solution to a selected problem statement.
In the Entrepreneurship track, teams will work on collecting data or prototyping to further validate their solutions. Teams in this track will also need to develop a business proposal to demonstrate the commercialization potential of their proposed solution.
Teams will focus on modifying and deepening early technology proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria for Phase 3. In doing so, teams will gain valuable experience in technical (and business) writing.
Based on our evaluation criteria, up to 5 of the top team entries will advance to Phase 4 and receive INR 1 lakh each in cash prizes!

After a 4-month journey and lots of hard work, up to 10 top teams from both tracks get a chance to learn more and showcase their ideas to a panel of investors and industry experts in a Smart Protein Demo Day!

Successful teams will have the opportunity to present their proposals and solutions to a panel of expert judges and challenge partners.
Teams will need to demonstrate an overall understanding of the sector, technological viability with clear milestones for developing their proof of concept, and marketability of their proposed solutions.
Up to 10 winning teams from each track will be awarded cash prizes and mentorship opportunities from the ISPIC 2021 partners.

INITIATION

Track 1: Innovation

Track 1 will focus on coming up with an innovative theoretical solutions to a technologically advanced scientific problem faced by Indian food corporations, startups, and entrepreneurs.

Teams will develop a potential technological solution to 1 of 15 challenge statements posed by GFI India’s team of experts and industry partners, making participants aware of the challenges in the smart protein industry. You can find a list of challenge statements across plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated protein here. Challenge participants will be given the opportunity to explore alternate fields of research suitable to their current academic focus. Proposals will be assessed on overall understanding of the sector, multidisciplinary approach to solutions, and technological feasibility. Please refer to the evaluation criteria for more details.

At the end of this challenge, participants will have:

Certification: from GFI India’s Smart Protein Digital Lab 2021;
Technical proposal: a technologically feasible solution to a proposed challenge problem statement.

Eligibility Criteria

This track is suitable for students at all levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, doctorate, postdoctorate), young professionals, industry scientists, and researchers with a keen interest in learning about the challenges in our current food system and developing solutions to build affordable and delicious smart protein products. This track is limited to participants under the age of 35 years.

Note: In Phase 2, participants in Track 1: Innovation will undergo match-making to form teams of 3.

Track 2: Entrepreneurship

Track 2 will focus on incubating and accelerating both potential and existing entrepreneurs/startups to address commercial whitespaces across the value chain, focusing on mentoring and 1-on-1 sessions which focus equally on scientific and business themes.

Teams will develop a validated technological and business proposal, focused on significant bottlenecks across the smart protein value-chain to accelerate the creation of new technologies aimed at providing solutions to the global market and establishing India as a smart protein innovation and manufacturing hub. You can find themes across plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated protein value chain here. Proposals will be assessed on technical feasibility, scalability, commercialisation potential, and economic viability. Please refer to the evaluation criteria for more details..

At the end of this challenge, participants will have:

Certification: from GFI India’s Smart Protein Digital Lab 2021;
Technical proposal: a technologically feasible solution with a comprehensive roadmap toward achieving a proof of concept;
Business proposal: an identified market and business solution with strong potential for the formation of a viable and profitable enterprise.

Eligibility criteria

This track is suitable for early-stage startups, researchers, students at all levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, doctorate, postdoctorate), and entrepreneurs (including existing smart protein/alternative protein startups) and business professionals from food, agri, biotech, and allied industries to develop solutions with potential for commercialization. This track has no limits to age.

Note: In Phase 2, participants in Track 2: Entrepreneurship will undergo match-making to form teams of 3 or 4.