At Junicorn, Indian teenage innovators from humble backgrounds catch investors’ eye

Hema Sai (right) with JA Chowdhary, ISF Founder-President (left). Hema Sai, presented an eco-friendly brick that attempts to solve the problem of plastic pollution

Their English may have been basic, but their presentations spoke volumes at the recent ‘Juncorn’ contest held in Texas State University, San Marcos in the US. Investor interest was caught as a passionate bunch of teenaged Indian innovators from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and mostly from humble backgrounds, shared their ideas on solving knotty social challenges. So much so that the young innovators got a commitment of $50,000 each to help them build their products.

Meaningful ventures

Take Venkata Lakshmi, a ninth grader at the HEAL School and Orphanage near Gannavaram in Andhra Pradesh, where mostly students from underprivileged backgrounds study. Moved by the struggles women face during menstruation, she developed biodegradable pads that she called Natura She. “Many women still rely on cloth rags, risking infections and long-term health issues. We are seeing usage of plastic in the preparation of sanitary napkins, which is causing environmental and health issues,” Venkata Lakshmi said, while pitching NaturaShe to the investors. Her product contains jute, cotton, loofah and flax seed oil.

Her fellow student from the same school, Hema Sai, presented an eco-friendly brick that attempts to solve the problem of plastic pollution. The ‘Eco-Brickster’ is made from recycled plastic and fly ash.

Then there was Sai Satyam Pradhan, a final-year student from BOSE College in Odisha, who spent two years building Sobady, a self-charging electric vehicle powered by solar, wind, kinetic, and piezo energy. From classroom sketches to a working prototype, Sai Satyam proved that innovation doesn’t need a fancy lab — just relentless drive.

Everyone’s a winner

“They may have come from humble backgrounds, but they attracted the attention of investors and mentors,” J A Chowdhary, Founder-Chairman of International Startup Foundation (ISF), which organised the Junicorn summit, told businessline.

“We had nine winners picked out pre-event based on Junicorns’ presentations, but at the event, since every kid performed exceptionally well, the ISF decided to declare everyone as a winner,” said Padma Alluri, CEO, ITS Corp, Impact leader, ISF Junicorn.

“Every Junicorn that pitched its idea got a commitment for funding, go-to-market access and mentorship. We are working with these kids to help them take their projects to the next level,” she said.

The event also saw participation from five young innovators from the US.

Published on June 8, 2025