IndiA Sustainability Startathon 2023
EVENT IMPACT Report
The first sustainability summit for youth
leaders in ASEAN, China and India
29th Oct - 3rd Nov 2023, Singapore
Introduction
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023 (ISS 2023)
is the country level round to select the India Youth Delegation for
ASEAN - CHINA - INDIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2023. (ACIYLS 2023)
The first and only one of its kind, ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit 2023 addresses the most pressing sustainability challenges of our time. Its ultimate goal is to establish an accessible, dynamic ecosystem of long-standing, youth-driven innovation in sustainability and entrepreneurship – from the Sustainability Startathon across 12 countries, to the final Summit event held in Singapore.
By bringing together 180 high-achieving youth leaders in a physical setting, where the aim is to encourage multinational teamwork and problem-solving while reinforcing the values of sustainability.
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON by The Future Founders Co. is the country level round to select the India youth delegation for ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit hosted by OSG Youth Alliance in Singapore.
India
Myanmar
Indonesia
Malaysia
China
Vietnam
Laos
Cambodia
Singapore
Thailand
Brunei Islands
Phillipines
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH
OSG YOUTH ALLIANCE
The partnership with OSG Youth Alliance has been instrumental in the success of The Future Founders Co. Hosting the India Sustainability Startathon was a pivotal moment for us, providing the perfect launchpad for our initiatives. The unwavering support and enthusiasm of Dr.Tan Eng Han and his team were crucial in bringing our vision to life.
Their belief in our approach enabled us in every step of curating, designing, and delivering the program. Their backing has allowed an idea of impact to bloom into a meaningful purpose that now catalyses the vision at The Future Founders Co.
The generous support from the OSG Youth Alliance has been the rocket fuel that propelled us and helped us establish our presence in a spectacular way.
We are grateful for their contribution and for helping us achieve our goals.
The Future Founders Co. (FFC) launched the India Sustainability Startathon to promote sustainable innovation among India’s youth. This event served as the national qualifier for the ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit, accelerating young leaders' role in tackling global sustainability challenges.
The Startathon's impact has been significant. Participants reported an observable increase in sustainability knowledge, a boost in problem-solving confidence and an improvement in entrepreneurial skills. The event fostered lasting mentor-mentee relationships, creating a supportive ecosystem beyond the competition. With 99.06% of participants viewing their involvement as a top achievement, we believe the event has had a lasting impact on the participating youth.
The FFC exists to help young people make pro-planet choices, and this event has set the stage for realizing this vision. The report includes data, insights, and perspectives from all stakeholders, providing a comprehensive view of the event's impact. We are grateful to OSG Youth Alliance for helping kick off this initiative in India and choosing us as a partner in fostering sustainability and entrepreneurship among youth.
“Move fast and break things" has been the mantra for the millennial generation, defining the de-facto approach to innovation. It is clear as day that in our quest for progress, we have overlooked the wider impact on the planet, leaving today’s generation to navigate the aftermath. At the FFC, we want to challenge this mantra. Our goal is to foster mindful creation so that the solutions of today don't turn into the problems of tomorrow.
We know that our learning rooms are powerful spaces where ideas, innovation, and inspiration flourish. So we have created them to be places where young minds feel enabled and driven to tackle the complex challenges staring at them today.
While the statistics in this report highlight the tangible impacts we've achieved, I am most proud of the culture we have built — one that prioritises the curiosity and creativity of young people. This is our biggest win, and it will drive us forward.
The future belongs to those who favour the planet.
We want to enable young people to make choices that favour the planet.
SUPRIYA PANCHANGAM
FOUNDER | CEO
The FFC
“Earlier I wanted the change to happen, Now I want to make that change.”
Tusharika Sahu, Winner, ISS 2023
“Sustainability is the future of Business.” Sarthak Bhat, Winner, ISS 2023
“Be ready, put yourself in the forefront. So you can meet people like Future Founders Co who can really give you a stepping ladder”
Noel Thomas, Winner, ISS 2023
“I am much more confident about how I am even personally and professionally, I got a lot of understanding about sustainability and life itself.”
Lakshmi Priya, Winner, ISS 2023
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
Program outline
LEvel one
Application Round
LEVEL two :
SDG Education, Sustainability Boot Camp & Pitch practice
Top 25 teams WERE selected as the FINAL COHORT OF THE PROGRAM
LEVEL THREE : MASTERCLASSES &
ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING
LEVEL FOUR : INDIA SUSTAINABILITY
STARTATHON GRAND FINALE
15 winning YOUTH WENT ON TO ATTEND
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
Priority SDGs
2023's ACI YLS Summit was based on SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities & Communities and SDG 12 - Responsible consumption and production with the theme of “Sustainability – Urban Living”
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON BY THE FUTURE FOUNDERS CO. IS A COUNTRY ROUND TO SELECT THE INDIA YOUTH DELEGATION FOR ASEAN - CHINA - INDIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT HOSTED BY OSG YOUTH ALLIANCE.
Having participated in similar programs globally, one standout feature of ISS was the focus on masterclasses & mentoring. Instead of simply pushing global sustainability trends, the startathon doubled up as both a learning program and a competition encouraging students to identify and solve specific on-ground challenges.
Dr. Leena James
Head - SDG CELL | Christ University
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
PROGRAM PARTNERS
ANCHOR PARTNER
UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
UNIVERSITY INSTITUTION PARTNERS
ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS
Collaborating with FFC was really a great experience and learning both for students and faculty. Supriya & Rohan’s involvement and commitment in spreading sustainable business ideas and promoting entrepreneurship among the students community is really amazing. Would love to work with them in the future too.
Dr. Shanthi Srinivasan
Dean - Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Mount Carmel College
The program was a good opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and talent on a global platform. Our students performed well in the bootcamp as well. Appreciate the The Future Founders co. team.
Dr. Kiran Kumari Patil
Director – University Industry Interaction Center
REVA University
Working with The Future Founders Co. was exciting and good learning for students and faculty. Supriya's energetic involvement and passion are key ingredients to driving the entrepreneurial experience at the national and international levels for our students. We wish them a great success.
Dr.Babu Devasenapathi
Director - Office of Student Affairs
CMR University
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA BY 105 FINAL PHASE PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROGRAM, collected ~8 months after the program
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
PARTICIPATION MAP
1706
registrations
315
cities*
*Participants while studying in Bangalore, were from 315 different cities across India.
250
bootcamp attendees
115
finalists
23
mentors
7
masterclasses
6
partner universities
6
in-person bootcamps
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON BY THE FUTURE FOUNDERS CO. IS A COUNTRY ROUND TO SELECT THE INDIA YOUTH DELEGATION FOR ASEAN - CHINA - INDIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT HOSTED BY OSG YOUTH ALLIANCE.
The planning and execution of India Sustainability Startathon 2023 event needed determination and patience. It required the collaborative effort of a large group of people who are deeply invested in furthering the cause of sustainability. It is their unwavering belief in the ability of young people to solve the pressing sustainability challenges that brought this program to life.
Strategizing, planning, and delivering a program of this magnitude is no small feat. It took a dedicated team with a unified vision and deep-felt commitment.
As Siddharth, a participant, notes in this report, The Future Founders Co. has fostered an "I am here for you" relationship with the youth. It is a result of the collaborative intention of all stakeholders involved and the value we have unlocked for them. I believe this is the foundation of our work
and will be the driving force to
move forward.
Onwards and upwards!
ROHAN SUBASH
Chief operating officer
The FFC
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
PARTICIPATION OVERVIEW
54.65% of participants identified themselves as female.
In the final phase, it increased to 54.78% .
The final winning cohort constituted of 53.3% female participants.
54.9% of participants are native to a tier 1 city in India.
In the final phase, it reduced to 45.22% .
The final winning cohort constituted of 41.67% of tier 1 city participants.
30.9% of participants are/ were pursuing a Management or a Business Administration degree
In the final phase, it increased to 40% .
The final winning cohort constituted of 33% participants from management studies.
BASED ON REGISTRATION DATA OF THE 258 BOOTCAMP PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROGRAM
BASED ON REGISTRATION DATA OF THE 258 BOOTCAMP PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROGRAM
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
PRIMARY IMPACT AREAS
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA BY 110 FINAL PHASE PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROGRAM
Our favourite kind of impact
99.06%
of participants consider being qualified as one of the top teams in the India Sustainability Startathon to be one of their top achievements of last year.
It is not a ‘just’ a learning relationship.
It is “I AM HERE FOR YOU” kind of relationship that FFC has with youth.
Siddharth Dinesh Kumar
Winner, ISS 2023
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA BY 106 FINAL PHASE PARTICIPANTS, 8 months after program completion
Our favourite kind of impact
68.8%
of participants began participating in sustainability-themed programs intentionally after ISS 2023.
“It is thrilling to see so many young people participate in this event. You have done it because its either a cool thing to do or a its an important thing to do, irrespective, it is the right thing to do. “
N. Lakshminarayan
Chief endowment officer,
Azim premji foundation
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA BY 106 FINAL PHASE PARTICIPANTS, 8 months after program completion
Our favourite kind of impact
77.3%
of participants feel that their ISS experience helped them win competitions they participated in after ISS 2023.
68.7%
30.1%
of participants among those who participated, reported having won in entrepreneurship competitions after ISS 2023.
of participants reported having participated in entrepreneurship competitions after ISS 2023.
16%
of participants won cash prizes in the competitions/programs after ISS 2023.
was the average cash prize rewarded to those who won other competitions/ programs after ISS 2023.
₹ 29,000
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA BY 106 FINAL PHASE PARTICIPANTS, 8 months after program completion
Our favourite kind of impact
36.7%
participants are still in touch with their ISS mentor 2023.
of those in touch, reported receiving support and/or information about other related programs from their mentor.
38.4%
Bhanu Potta sir wasn't just a mentor at the Sustainability Startathon - he turned our idea into a winning business. His guidance continues to shape our success and his support is still alive for our startup even after the event.
SAHAJ CHAWLA
PARTICIPANT, ISS 2023
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA BY 106 FINAL PHASE PARTICIPANTS, 8 months after program completion
Our favourite kind of impact
The fact that there are students across disciplines who are going to be in positions of financial power in future & also began thinking of sustainability and social impact as a core agenda to their overall development is a big testament to the success of this program.
Nitya Sriram, MENTOR
Senior Lead, TRUSTIN
MENTOR ISS 2023
It was fantastically organised, details were thought out, minimal effort in many many fronts which made the mentorship extremely enjoyable. Very dedicated and patient team.
Jaime Aguilera Garcia,
Co-Founder, inaglobe
MENTOR ISS 2023
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
TOP PARTICIPANT LEARNINGS
“Love the problem before solution”
-Ridika Anand
“Understanding how to be financially being feasible and environmentatlly sustainable all at the same time is one of my top learnings”
-Sahaj Chawla
“Betterment a Never ending process ”
-Dhanya Padasalgi
“How important it is to switch to sustainable ways, different ideas for the same is one of my top learnings”
-Punyashree G
“To find out if your problem is actually a problem”
-Syed Moiz Raza
“ the experience taught me to get more out of my comfort zone.”
-Mrinali Saxena
“Sustainability is necessary, achievable and the change starts from us.”
-Kuna Lohita
“A problem is like lasagna. The more you cut into it, the more layers you find.”
-Durga Thanikachalam
“Can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, prototyping ideas is a steadfast way of achieving clarity and work with what you have.”
-Harshita Pandey
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
MENTORS OVERVIEW
38.89% of mentors identified themselves as female.
22.7%
IVY league
31.8%
Others
45.5%
Tier 1 Institute
22.73% of mentors are IVY league educated /attended.
45.45% of mentors are Tier 1 institute educated.
12.5%
Sustainability enthusiasts
87.5%
Sustainability professionals
87.5% of mentors are sustainability professionals.
37.5%
Professionals/
Employed
62.5%
Entrepreneurs
62.5% of mentors are entrepreneurs themselves.
54.2%
First time mentors
45.83% of mentors have mentored youth/ aspiring entrepreneurs prior to the program.
45.8%
Youth/ Eship Mentors
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA PROFILING OF THE 23 MENTORS WHO ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PROGRAM
Facilitating the India Sustainability Startathon was an incredible experience. The program's design, which uniquely combines competition with a learning-focused approach, sets it apart from others. Each of the 100s of young innovators who participated in this movement were inspiring and revolutionary in their ideas, thoughts and intent to make a positive impact on the planet and all our lives!
We consistently noticed an eagerness to embrace sustainable ideas which was evident in their approach and enthusiasm through the process of identifying problem statements and arriving at solutions. Personally, my interactions with every team during their ideation, group-thinking, solutioning and presentation gave me a glimpse of the immense potential and acumen young people have.
I'm hopeful for the future of our planet and people,
thanks to this memorable take-off and the most
wonderful start for the folks at
The Future Founders Co.
Onwards and Upwards!
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
MENTORS EXPERIENCE
95%
Mentors found the time spent with India Sustainability Startathon participants meaningful.
As a mentor for FFC's India Sustainability Startathon, I have found the experience incredibly meaningful. The participants' enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment to addressing global challenges are genuinely inspiring.
FFC's unique approach in bridging academia, real-world pragmatics, and entrepreneurship fosters a vibrant community of young innovators. Witnessing the transformative journey of these bright minds
and their dedication to sustainable solutions
has been a privilege.
The professionalism and ingenuity of the
FFC team have made this journey all the
more rewarding. Here's to many more
impactful years ahead!
BHANU POTTA
Founder, ZINGER LABS
Mentor & ADVISOR, ISS 2023
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA PROFILING OF THE 23 MENTORS WHO ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PROGRAM
INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
MENTORS EXPERIENCE
81%
Mentors said “YES” to be contacted again to be mentor for other programs of The Future Founders Co.
Participating as a mentor in the Sustainability Startathon 2023 was a deeply rewarding experience. Guiding the winning team through their journey was exhilarating and inspiring. My role involved providing strategic insights, refining their business model, and encouraging
out-of-the-box thinking.
The team’s final presentation was a testament to
their hard work and creativity, showcasing an
idea that promises real-world environmental
benefits. The camaraderie and the learning
shared during this event were invaluable,
reinforcing the importance of mentorship
in fostering the next generation of
sustainability leaders.
PALASH HASE
CMO, DECIPHER CLOUD
winning team MentoR, ISS 2023
BASED ON SELF-REPORTED DATA PROFILING OF THE 23 MENTORS WHO ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PROGRAM
I’ve contributed in designing and participating in a number of Indian and global youth-focused social innovation programs, and the Future Founders Co. and India Sustainability Startathon stands out to me with its unique program design.
I have experienced India Sustainability Startathon walking their students/ innovators through a learning process that manages to successfully marry their areas of interest, with a positive impact and information from user research and lived experiences in a very genuine and fun way.
This is evident from the quality of ideas and pitches that emerged from this process in the finale. India Sustainability Startathon’s team truly understands their audience and the incentives that apply to them at both a systemic and individual level, which is rare and inspires a great deal of confidence in the evolution of the program!
I cannot wait to see where they go from
here, and they will always have
my support.
LAKSHMI HIRANANDANI
CO-LEAD, UNLEASH PLUS
PROGRAM Advisor, The FFC
FFC is a dream - to channel the energy, creativity and also anxiety of our youth to learn about and start addressing some of the great challenges facing humanity and the planet we live on.
FFC is a business - positioned to bridge the structural gap between education/academia, real-world pragmatics and entrepreneurship. Its focus on sustainability closes the circle between textbook learning and on-ground action.
FFC is a community - of experienced leaders and innovators, educators and influencers, and institutions advancing change for young entrepreneurs and creating opportunities to do so.
In its first year, FFC has already gained tremendous visibility and goodwill amongst its core constituencies - universities, students, and sustainability ecosystem actors - not just in India, but overseas as well. Its pedagogical approach and transparent processes have earned it love and loyalty from young people across categories. Its professionalism and attention to quality have earned it the admiration and respect of its local and international peers.
If there is anything FFC can improve its performance in, it could be closing the circle between inspiration and impact more tightly.
There is little to be said other than high praise for the entire FFC team - founder and her team, organisers, mentors, collaborators,
partners - which indicates that as an enterprise, it has
already found its value-proposition and positioning
in India's dynamic ecosystem.
Arvind Lodaya
KEY Advisor, The FFC
WINNING PARTICIPANTS, INDIA SUSTAINABILITY STARTATHON 2023
ASEAN-CHINA-INDIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2023, SinGaporE
INDIA WINNERS
Measuring Progress
Bare Craft (BCC) played a pivotal role as the impact and sustainability partner for the India Sustainability Startathon. Their involvement included conducting a comprehensive survey aimed at young students actively participating in the Future for Change (FFC) initiative.
BCC aimed to assess the baseline knowledge of the youth before delving into the impact of their engagement with sustainability-focused programs. An end-line assessment was conducted to measure the discernible changes in knowledge and differences in action and thinking abilities among the youth. The data was collected in three phases - at the beginning, at the end of the program and the last set was collected 8 months after the program completion.
“Through the thematic focus of the India Sustainability Startathon, The Future Founders Co. (FFC) demonstrated a commendable commitment by addressing all aspects of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with their interlinking goals. FFC went beyond the mere engagement of the competition and actively pushed them to think sustainably and take concrete actions.
FFC has aimed to instill a holistic understanding of the interconnected challenges and opportunities within urban sustainability and responsible consumption. This approach not only educated the youth on the importance of these specific SDGs but also empowered them to contribute meaningfully to the broader agenda of sustainable development through informed thinking and purposeful actions“
-Himanshi Singh
Founding Member, Bare Craft Consulting
Bare Craft Consulting is a primary program evaluation partner for India Sustainability Startathon 2023.
We help young people make pro-planet choices.