Wisser & Family Innovation Challenge is an initiative by Bosco Institute, Jorhat. The aim of the challenge is to build a thriving and inclusive innovation ecosystem in Northeast India that empowers artisans and young entrepreneurs to design and develop sustainable, market-ready products from natural resources—driving green economic growth, preserving cultural heritage, creating dignified livelihoods, and advancing gender equity across the region.
The Wisser & Family Innovation Challenge 3.0 empowers young innovators in Northeast India, aged 25 to 45, to innovate for good—rethinking existing practices, creating new possibilities, and turning ideas into solutions that create meaningful social, environmental, and economic impact that improve lives and communities. This includes improving upon a product, process, or creating something new that solves a problem or makes the world a better place.
The Challenge invites youth to develop sustainable, inclusive, and enterprise-oriented innovations, particularly by drawing on the region’s rich natural resources, traditional knowledge, crafts, and cultural heritage. The top 3 finalists will be selected during the Pitching event and receive financial support and mentorship.
Key dates
The application deadline for the challenge is on 14th November 2026.
The top 3 finalists will be selected during the Pitching event and receive financial support and mentorship.
Eligibility criteria
You can participate as an individual or as a team.
To be eligible to enter, you must:
- Be between 25 and 45 years old.
- Be a resident of North East India if you apply as an individual.
- Have at least one member as resident of Northeast India if you apply as a Northeast-based team. Team should be of maximum of 3 members.
- Ensure your innovation project is led and created by youth.
Design Materials
Participants must propose a sustainable product/design innovation utilising available natural resources.
Bamboo plant, Cane plant, Banana plant, various fibers and grass like Water hyacinth, Coconut Fibers/Coir, Cotton, Jute, Sisal, Sital Pati, Kauna, Kenaf, Hemp, Nettle, Hay; Fruits, Vegetables, Areca leaf sheath, Lotus plant (leaves, seeds, flower), Sal and teak leaves, Wool, Silk (Eri/Muga/Mulberry/Tussar), Natural Clay (Terracotta, Stoneware, Fire Clay, Ball Clay), others….
The design innovation would be under any of the following sectors:
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Sustainable Fashion & Accessories
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Home Décor & Lifestyle Products
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Furniture & Interior Products
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Sustainable Packaging
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Food Products
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Wellness Products
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Eco-friendly Utility Products
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Craft + Contemporary Design
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Agricultural/Natural fabric Waste-based Products
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Indigenous Products (Premium/High-value)
Innovation Grant
Innovation Challenge champion 1 will receive INR 2,30,000. The second and third innovations will receive INR 1,80,000 and INR 1,30,000 respectively.
- Innovation Challenge champion 1 INR 2,30,000
- Second innovation INR 1,80,000
- Third innovation INR 1,30,000
Key dates: The application deadline for the challenge is on 14th November 2026.
How can I participate?
- 01 Check your eligibility above.
- 02 Fill out the Application form.
- 03 Read the judging criteria to help guide your submission.
- 04 If you have any questions, read the rules or get in touch.
Judging criteria
The project should be advanced beyond the idea or concept stage and have demonstrated that it has been put into action.
All entries will be evaluated using the following evaluation criteria:
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Innovation and Originality
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Market Viability
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Cultural Sensitivity and Alignment
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Environmental Sustainability
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Resource Sustainability
Rules
Code of Conduct
The organisers of Wisser & Family Innovation Challenge 3.0 are committed to providing an event that is welcoming and safe for all participants, and where all participants are treated with dignity and respect.
Core Principles
- Respect and Inclusion: Maintain a safe, welcoming environment. Harassment, bullying, hate speech, or inappropriate behaviour of any kind is strictly prohibited.
- Fair Competition: Do not sabotage other competitors, manipulate submissions, or create multiple fake accounts. Be participative and attentive.
- Adherence to Rules: Follow team size limits, submission formats, and deadlines set by the organizers.
- Social media platforms/ Group chats: Inappropriate images and languages in these platforms (created for the purpose of the challenge) may led to disqualification.
Report to the organizers at thehub@boscoinstitute.org if participants behave inappropriately as outlined Above.
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
All submissions remain the intellectual property of the individuals or organizations that created or developed them.
- Ownership of Content: All intellectual property rights, including designs, code, ideas, and concepts developed by the participant during the event, shall remain the sole property of the participant.
- Media and Publicity: By participating, the participant grants the Organizer a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use the participant's name, photograph, video recording, and brief descriptions of their submission for promotional and marketing purposes across all media channels.
- Third-Party Infringement: The participant guarantees that their submissions/creations are original and do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party. The Organizer shall not be held liable for any such infringements.
Protection of Intellectual Property
By submitting an Entry or accepting any grant, you represent and warrant the following: you will not submit content that is copyrighted, protected by trade secret or otherwise subject to third party intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights, including privacy and publicity rights, unless you are the owner of such rights or have permission from their rightful owner to post the content; and the content submitted by you does not contain any viruses, Trojan horses, worms or other disabling devices or harmful content.
Copyright
Participant represents and warrants that he or she is the sole author and copyright owner of the submission, and that the submission is an original work of the participant, or if the submission is a work based on an existing application, that the participant has acquired sufficient rights to use and to authorize others; and that the Submission does not infringe upon any copyright or upon any other third party rights of which the participant is aware, and that the submission is free of malware.
Partners
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Bosco Institute -
ChildAid Network
Organizers
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The Hub Jorhat
Apply here
Key dates: The application deadline for the challenge is on 14th November 2026.
Get in touch.
For further assistance, please contact
- Phone
- +91-9957343791
- Address
- The Hub Jorhat, Bosco Institute, Baghchung, Jorhat - 785008, Assam