Chennai: CavinKare, in association with Madras Management Association, has announced the opening of nominations for the 15th edition of the CavinKare–MMA ChinniKrishnan Innovation & Great Ideas Awards 2026, a national platform focused on recognising and nurturing breakthrough ideas and impactful entrepreneurial ventures across India.
Marking a significant milestone, this year’s edition sees the return of the ‘Great Ideas’ category with an expanded scope that now includes student innovators. The category will recognise 10 outstanding ideas, a significant scale-up from earlier editions where a single winner was awarded, reinforcing the platform’s commitment to supporting innovation at its earliest stages.
Interested institutions and individuals can submit their entries on or before June 22, 2026.
Speaking on the announcement, CK Ranganathan, Chairman and Managing Director, CavinKare Pvt. Ltd., said, “The ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards have always celebrated purposeful ideas that transform everyday lives. As we mark the 15th edition, we are bringing back the ‘Great Ideas’ category with a broader vision, to recognise and encourage not just established innovators, but also individuals and students at the ideation stage. By expanding the number of winners, we hope to create a larger platform for promising ideas to be nurtured, mentored, and scaled into impactful solutions for the future. With the right ecosystem and mentorship, these ideas can evolve into impactful, scalable solutions for the future.”
Adding to this, Lakshminarayanan, President of MMA, remarked, “The Chinnikrishnan Innovation Awards reflect MMA’s enduring commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. By broadening the scope and inclusivity of the Awards, we aim to inspire emerging talent and provide a robust platform for ideas that can address real-world challenges and contribute meaningfully to society and economic progress.”
The awards feature two categories:
Innovation Category: Open to startups and MSMEs with proven, market-ready products or services demonstrating uniqueness, scalability, sustainability, and tangible benefits. Three winners will receive a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, along with a citation and trophy.
Great Ideas Category: Open to individuals and institutions including entrepreneurs, researchers, academicians, and students. The category recognises original ideas with strong problem-solution fit, relevance, and future potential, irrespective of their stage of commercialisation. Ten winners will receive a cash prize of ₹10,000 each.
Instituted in memory of Late Shri R. ChinniKrishnan, widely regarded as the pioneer of India’s sachet revolution, the awards honour innovations that make quality products and solutions accessible to the common man.
Since its inception in 2011, the initiative has recognised innovations spanning sectors such as biotechnology and healthcare, assistive technologies, environmental sustainability, clean-tech, AI-driven platforms, robotics and automation, affordable medical devices, smart sanitation, sustainable packaging, agri-tech, and digital technologies addressing real-world challenges.
Awardees under the Innovation Category will also receive access to a mentoring ecosystem facilitated by CavinKare and MMA, covering areas such as marketing, finance, design, packaging, R&D, HR, and intellectual property, along with one-year access to industry experts and business linkage facilitation with financial institutions.
The selection process will involve a multi-stage evaluation by a distinguished jury comprising industry leaders, venture capitalists, and academic experts, with shortlisted candidates invited for further interactions, including video presentations.
Applications under the Innovation Category are open to startups and small-scale enterprises with annual turnover not exceeding ₹50 crore for FY 2024–25 / 2025–26, while the Great Ideas Category is open to individuals and institutions across India with no turnover criteria. Applicants must be Indian citizens or have ideas originating from India.
