Somaiya Vidyavihar University held the Showcasing Innovation, Sustainability, and Impact (SSIIF 2025) Festival, attracting 109 innovators, 5,000 students, and 50 investors from various industries. The two-day event was organised by Riidl Somaiya Vidyavihar and Somaiya School of Design, with support from the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and Maharashtra State Innovation. This year’s edition integrated Maker Mela, Darwin, and Nazariya under the theme “Empowering Communities through Conversations, Collaborations, and Creativity.”
The event featured industry leaders, start-up founders, and policymakers, featuring panel discussions, showcases, and networking opportunities, with notable speakers like Dr Niranjan Hiranandani (Founder and Chairman, Hiranandani Group), Shantanu Deshpande (Founder and CEO, Bombay Shaving Company) and Prof Ramesh Raskar (MIT Media Lab) inspiring the next generation of innovators.
Nitish Bharti, a finalist on India’s Got Talent, and a semi-finalist on Asia’s Got Talent, performed captivatingly at the inauguration of SSIIF 2025, capturing the essence of the community through his art, setting the stage for a soulful blend of storytelling and musical performances.
The festival celebrated innovators in healthcare, sustainable fashion, XR technology, and social impact. Helo Health won Best Innovator for its healthcare testing kit, and Kubra Technologies won Best Maker for UAV solutions. The XR Hackathon organised in collaboration with Team Vision, K J Somaiya School of Engineering & Parallax Labs,
showcased groundbreaking projects in lifestyle, simulation, medicine, and tourism, with winning teams developing VR-based fitness enhancements, PTSD therapy tools, medical simulations, and interactive AR experiences. The Mumbai Water Crisis Hackathon, under the mentorship of Dr Subhajit Mukherjee, highlighted scalable solutions for water conservation, and the BioFashion Show showcased sustainable, nature-inspired designs.
The event marked the launch of the ‘Conscious Creators Community Manifesto’ by Smt Amrita Somaiya, a member of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, promoting sustainable, ethical, responsible, and inclusive fashion practices. The panel on ‘The Future of Sustainable Fashion: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities’ featured speakers like Shreya Ghodawat (Sustainability and Climate Activist), Siddharth Lulla (Principal, Circular Economy,Intellecap), Surbhi Manocha Choudhary ((Founder, Ekobae and Bharat ki Beti Foundation), and Siddharth Somaiya (Artist, Entrepreneur, and Angel Investor), fostering the Conscious Creators Community and driving meaningful conversations around sustainability in fashion and lifestyle.
The Mumbai Ghanta featured speakers like Harish Iyer (Equal Rights activist) and Akanksha Thakore (Wellbeing facilitator and poet) discussing social impact and well-being. SIIF hosted a panel titled ‘Mumbai Matters’, curated by Blue Ribbon Movement, focusing on collective action for a thriving Mumbai. The panel featured prominent speakers like Ajit Kumar Jain (IAS, Retd.), Pooja Bajaj (Executive Director, CSR of Bajaj Electricals Ltd.), Khrisha Shah Ambani (Community supporter, New Earth Foundation), and Shri Samir Somaiya (Chancellor, SVU). SSIIF also included the launch of Somaiya Angel Network (SAN), featuring 30 startups engaged in speed networking, and 5 startups pitching to a panel of 51 investors.
Several other activities that took place at the festival were the Mumbai Hive, a collaborative initiative featuring 17 organisations addressed pressing urban challenges through discussions, performances, and community-driven solutions; the Kumbhathon Startup Festival featured 28 startups that pitched scalable solutions for large-scale public events, evaluated by an expert panel, that included Prof Ramesh Raskar from MIT Media Lab; Art, Design, Bio and Tech Workshops & Training with over 520 participants; the Mumbai Drum Circle, a vibrant community experience using rhythm to foster connection and collective energy; the Museum-on-Wheels by CSMVS, that featured an extraordinary exhibition on ancient sculptures & civilisations from India, Egypt, Assyria, Greece, and Rome; WISE City Initiative launch which advocated a wellness-oriented, inclusive, sustainable, and entrepreneurial urban ecosystem, emphasising smart, people-centric urban planning; and the Under 25 summit at the Somaiya School of Design that featured creator journeys, student performances, and musical acts, that brought the festival to a spectacular close.
Strengthening our commitment to sustainability, we partnered with Earth 4Ever Conservation Foundation to plant trees on behalf of our dignitaries — an initiative that contributes to combating climate change. Paper Shaper reinforced the festival’s sustainability with durable, creative cardboard installations.
Shri Samir Somaiya, Chancellor of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, reflected on the festival’s impact, stating, “At Somaiya Vidyavihar, we believe in empowering communities through innovation, collaboration, and creativity. With the Somaiya Innovation and Impact Festival, we are co-designing an educational experience not just for students on this campus but also for the surrounding communities, ensuring a meaningful impact on the world around us.”
With a strong emphasis on collaboration, sustainability, and impact-driven innovation, SIIF 2025 successfully reaffirmed its mission to empower innovators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders to shape a brighter, more sustainable future.
Prerak Gala
Riidl, SVU
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