In the pursuit of progress, collaboration between industry and academia is paramount, especially when aimed at solving problems specific to the country. By combining practical expertise with academic rigor, solutions emerge from diverse perspectives tailored to the community needs. Industry brings discipline and hands-on knowledge, while academia contributes experimentation and analytical depth. Together, they form a powerful alliance, transforming challenges into opportunities through collective innovation for the betterment of India’s future.

As one of such initiatives, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology’s with Merino Industries pioneered its efforts to address the specific challenges of agro-waste management. As a result of their joint collaboration VNIT was recognized with the FIRST prize (INR Rs. 1,00,000) at the prestigious New Generation Ideation Contest 2023, amidst over 600 proposals from across India including the prestigious IITs & NITs institutes.