Somaiya Vidyavihar University concludes SIIF 2025
Mumbai: Somaiya Vidyavihar University, a multi-disciplinary institution with an 80-year legacy under the Somaiya Trust, successfully concluded the Innovation, Sustainability and Impact Festival (SIIF) 2025 at its 60+ acre zero-waste campus, bringing together 109 innovators, 5,000 students, over 50 investors and changemakers from various industries. The two-day festival was organised by RIIDL Somaiya Vidyavihar and Somaiya School of Design in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and Maharashtra State Innovation Society, Government of Maharashtra.
SIIF 2025 provided a dynamic platform for innovation, investment and community-driven impact. This year’s edition integrated Maker Mela, Darwin and Nazariya under the theme “Empowering communities through conversation, collaboration and creativity”.
The event brought together industry leaders, startup founders and policy makers for panel discussions, startup showcases and networking opportunities. Notable speakers included Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani (Founder & Chairman, Hiranandani Group), Shantanu Deshpande (Founder & CEO, Bombay Shaving Company) and Prof. Ramesh Raskar (MIT Media Lab) who enthralled the audience with insights from their entrepreneurial journeys and inspired the next generation of innovators. The opening ceremony saw a number of captivating performances, including a stellar performance by sand artist Nitish Bharti (Finalist of India’s Got Talent and Semi-Finalist of Asia’s Got Talent).
Through his captivating art, he beautifully captured the essence of the Somaya Innovation & Impact Festival community, creating a soulful blend of storytelling and musical performance. The festival honoured innovators from multiple sectors including healthcare, sustainable fashion, XR technology and social impact. Hello Health was awarded the Best Innovator for its portable primary healthcare testing kit, while Kubra Technologies was awarded the Best Manufacturer for its pioneering UAV solutions. The XR Hackathon, organised in collaboration with Team Vision, K J Somaiya School of Engineering and Parallax Labs, celebrated groundbreaking projects in lifestyle, simulation, medicine and tourism, with the winning teams developing VR-based fitness enhancements, PTSD therapy tools, medical simulations and interactive AR experiences. The Mumbai Water Crisis Hackathon, under the guidance of Dr. Subhajit Mukherjee, highlighted scalable solutions for water conservation and the Biofashion Show showcased sustainable, nature-inspired designs.
