School of Design Thinking Partners with SSC NASSCOM to Host 50-Hour Design Spark Challenge for Innovation
March 14, 2025,India: School of Design Thinking (SoDT), India’s leading organisation for promoting Design Thinking as a mindset for problem-solving and innovation, in partnership with Sector Skills Council (SSC) NASSCOM, proudly inaugurated the “Design Spark Challenge”, a 50-hour non-stop innovation challenge dedicated to the transformative power of Design Thinking.
A one-of-its-kind innovation challenge hosted in India, Design Spark Challenge 2025 will be driven by Design Thinking principles and leveraging AI tools. The competition commenced today (7th March 2025) at Intellect Design Arena’s global headquarters in Chennai, marking a significant milestone in fostering a culture of innovation among students.
The challenge brought together 75 students pursuing diverse education streams from 15 renowned colleges, all vying to push the boundaries of creativity and problem-solving using Design Thinking principles. Each group comprising five students was paired with a faculty mentor from the respective colleges to provide guidance and support throughout the competition. This initiative not only emphasised collaboration and innovation but also aimed to prepare the next generation of problem solvers for real-world challenges in healthcare, education, rural empowerment, agriculture, and the gig economy, among other sectors.
The inauguration ceremony featured Udaya Sankar, National Lead – Academia & Government Relations at NASSCOM, as the Chief Guest, Vanitha Venugopal, Chief Executive Officer of Tamil Nadu Technology (iTNT) Hub, as the Guest of Honour, along with Dr. Anbu Rathinavel, Co-Founder & Head of School of Design Thinking and Chief Design Officer of Intellect Design Arena; and Krishna Rajaraman, Chief Technology Officer of Intellect.
Design Spark Challenge encouraged participants to engage deeply with the problem, fostering a sustainable, holistic approach to design rather than mere problem-solving. It emphasised the importance of understanding the end user, which leads to falling in love with the problem instead of jumping to the solution. The structure was designed to enhance collaboration and a rich learning environment to nurture their thinking for addictive product and service design.
The competition had a timeline that started on Friday and ended on Sunday. As the students embarked on this intensive innovation journey, they had access to mentorship from industry leaders & experts from SoDT and the chance to present their groundbreaking solutions for the problem statements to a panel of esteemed judges at the end of the competition.
Udaya Sankar, National Lead-NASSCOM, said, “In an era of rapid technological evolution, equipping students with critical thinking, collaboration, and a mindset of continuous learning are key to solving real-world challenges. Design Spark Challenge 2025 redefines how educational institutions approach innovation and problem-solving, empowering students to create meaningful solutions. At SSC NASSCOM, we are committed to fostering industry-relevant skills and ethical values to drive sustainable innovation and build a resilient future workforce. This is the future of learning – immersive, hands-on, and impact-driven.”
During her address, Vanitha Venugopal, CEO-iTNT Hub, said, “Innovation is the key to shaping the future, and platforms like Design Spark Challenge play a crucial role in empowering young minds to think beyond conventional boundaries. This one-of-its-kind inter-college competition fosters holistic yet creative problem-solving while aligning with Tamil Nadu’s vision of becoming a hub for deep tech-driven advancements. At iTNT Hub, we are committed to nurturing an ecosystem where technology and innovation fuel progress, ensuring that Tamil Nadu remains at the forefront of cutting-edge solutions with real-world impact.”
“Design Thinking is not just a methodology; it’s a mindset that empowers individuals to challenge norms and innovate beyond boundaries,” said Dr. Anbu Rathinavel, Head-School of Design Thinking. “The idea to host the Design Spark Challenge was fostered from our previous experience with a similar innovation challenge for Intellect associates worldwide in 2023. We thought now is the right time to extend this opportunity to college students. This 50-hour-long competition embodies this spirit, stimulating a collaborative environment where young minds can explore new ideas and solutions. We are proud to partner with SSC NASSCOM to seed this initiative and make this a country-wide movement in the future.”
Krishna Rajaraman, CTO-Intellect, highlighted the importance and impact of integrating AI into the Design Thinking process. “Leveraging AI tools and advanced technologies in this challenge allows participants to explore cutting-edge innovations, enhancing their creative output and providing real-time data analytics that inform and optimise their design processes. Prior to the commencement of the 50-hour challenge, we conducted an orientation session for all participants on how Design Thinking principles combined with these technologies can effectively tackle real-world challenges and drive impactful solutions,” he stated.