A collaboration between Hult Prize, a global start-up accelerator for social good, and St Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata, saw a battle of ideas on Friday and Saturday.
More than 150 students of the college, split into 40 teams, pitched their start-up ideas in front of a jury.
The ideas pitched at the Hult Prize OnCampus Program — which serves as the first phase of the annual $1,000,000 competition — were centred on “Redesigning Fashion”, based on launching social ventures in the clothing and fashion industry to make it more sustainable.
An all-women team of Ankita Jana, Shreya Maity, Supreeti Poddar and Mahek Kedia emerged as the winner.
The winning idea: to incoroprate kantha, patachitra and Madhubani designs in modern womenswear.
“The project is aimed at the revival of the traditional art forms by modernising them and improving the conditions of the local artisans,” said the concept note.
Father Dominic Savio, principal of the college, said in his inaugural address: “At St Xavier’s College, we have always encouraged our students to be agents of change and lead by example. Today, I am proud to say that Hult Prize, St Xavier’s College, Kolkata, in association with the Hult Prize Foundation, has been instrumental in fostering a culture of social entrepreneurship among our young students.”
The Hult Prize challenges young people around the world to solve the planet’s most pressing issues through social entrepreneurship.
The winners received a cash prize of Rs 5,000 and a trophy, among other things. But the biggest prize is a slot in the next round of the competition in Mumbai, slated in May.