UnboxingBLR Foundation and Nikhil Kamath’s WTFund on Saturday announced five winners of the Namma Bengaluru Challenge.
Each winner will be awarded a Rs 10 lakh grant for their ideas that tackle Bengaluru’s critical urban challenges and drive transformation in the city.
The challenge, initiated in November, saw over 600 registrations. From these, 16 ideas were shortlisted and of them, eight ideas were studied for their proposed solutions. Finally, five winners were awarded the grant.
“Bengaluru has given me so much over the years, and this is my way of supporting those who are now standing where I was two decades ago. The challenge is about bringing together people who care deeply about this city—those who aren’t content to sit on the sidelines but are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work. A big thank you to everyone who participated. I’m genuinely excited to see how these ideas evolve and make a difference in the years to come,” said investor, entrepreneur and Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath.
The winners of the challenge included Clean Water, a startup developing nature-based solutions to address water pollution; Mahila Shakthi Electric Auto Driving Training Programme, an initiative that trains underserved women to drive last-mile connectivity vehicles; and Nagara Meter Auto, a social entrepreneurship initiative that offers meter-fare autorickshaw service.
The list also includes Anahat Foundation, which helps improve access to primary and preventive healthcare for the urban poor, and Let’s Be the Change, a waste management project that aims to send less than 1% of waste to landfills.
“This city has always been a beacon of innovation, and the overwhelming response to the Namma Bengaluru Challenge reaffirms that spirit. We are grateful to all participants for sharing their inspiring ideas and passion for Bengaluru’s betterment. The winners have showcased not only ingenuity but also a deep commitment to making Bengaluru more sustainable, inclusive, and forward-thinking,” said Prashanth Prakash, Founding Partner, Accel India and Chairman of UnboxingBLR.
