vivo India has announced that vivo Ignite 2026, its flagship nationwide innovation initiative for school students, has received over 38,000 registrations, marking the programme’s biggest edition yet.
This year’s edition witnessed registrations from more than 12,000 schools across 705 districts and over 4,500 cities. Registrations were received from all 28 States and 8 Union Territories, including 92 Aspirational Districts, reflecting the growing enthusiasm among young minds to leverage technology for solving real-world challenges.
Students from Grades 8-12 submitted more than 6,100 ideas, applying technology to address challenges across themes aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Compared to the previous edition, vivo Ignite expanded its national footprint from over 9,000 schools across 668 districts and more than 3,000 cities to more than 12,000 schools across 705 districts and more than 4,500 cities.
The fourth edition also witnessed encouraging participation trends. North India contributed nearly 38% of total idea submissions, while Technology, Agriculture & Climate Change emerged as the most preferred theme, accounting for 35% of all idea submissions. Reflecting vivo Ignite’s continued focus on making innovation more inclusive, participation from government schools increased from 5% in the previous edition to 14% this year.
Speaking on the response, Geetaj Channana, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, vivo India, said, “The continued growth of vivo Ignite reflects the tremendous innovation potential among young students across India. What is particularly encouraging is that this momentum is being driven not only by larger cities, but also by students from government schools, smaller towns and Aspirational Districts. This reinforces our belief that innovation thrives when opportunities are made accessible. Through vivo Ignite, we remain committed to nurturing curiosity, encouraging scientific thinking and creating an ecosystem where young innovators receive the mentorship and guidance needed to transform promising ideas into meaningful solutions for society.”
Following the registration phase, the final ideas will now progress through a multi-stage evaluation process, mentorship and prototype development, culminating in the National Finale in New Delhi in October 2026. Alongside recognising young innovators, vivo Ignite 2026 will also celebrate educators through its Teacher Innovation Fellowship, acknowledging teachers who play a pivotal role in fostering creativity and innovation within classrooms.
Supported by leading knowledge partners including IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation – Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) of IIT Madras, the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF), and the UN Global Compact Network India (UNGC NI), and Grant Thornton as the process validator, vivo Ignite provides students with access to expert mentorship, academic guidance and opportunities to develop their ideas into impactful innovations. Participants also stand a chance to receive educational scholarships and rewards worth up to INR 35 lakh*.
*Terms and conditions apply: Visit https://vivoignite.com/ for details.
