Brands
Samsung ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ 2024 reveals 10 finalist teams for the grand finale
Mumbai: Samsung India has announced the Top 10 teams of ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ 2024, its flagship CSR programme. The top 10 teams will now advance to the grand finale where they will present their unique ideas to a grand jury comprising Samsung leadership and other key industry leaders. The shortlisted teams come from some of the country’s remotest regions, including Golaghat and Kamrup Rural in Assam, Jhalawar in Rajasthan, Udupi in Karnataka, and Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, highlighting the programme’s deep regional penetration.
These finalists underwent a rigorous selection process involving multiple rounds of pitch presentations to Samsung jury members and mentoring sessions by experts from Samsung and Foundation for Innovation & Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi. As a reward, each of these 20 teams received a grant of Rs 20,000 for prototype development. In addition to this, the shortlisted teams from the youth track received latest Samsung Galaxy laptops while the teams from the school track received Galaxy tabs.
In the 3rd edition of the programme, students submitted their ideas under two overarching themes: ‘Community and Inclusion’ and ‘Environment and Sustainability.’ Under these broad themes, most of the ideas focused on tackling key issues such as education and resource access for underprivileged communities, challenges in experiential learning, digital literacy, water conservation, and arsenic pollution.
The teams also participated in an ‘Innovation Walk’, designed to provide mentoring, expert sessions and exposure to the students. This was held at various Samsung offices including Samsung R&D Centres in Bengaluru, and Noida, as well as the regional headquarters in Gurugram. The students participated in sessions that were instrumental in providing insights to the product development process, which also helped them improve their ideas. This was followed by a National Pitch Event, where the final 10 teams were selected.
“We are thrilled to witness the journeys of these 10 shortlisted teams from across the nation, which are nothing short of remarkable. The ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ programme has been able to expand the boundaries of creativity and capability for all participants, ultimately preparing them not only for the finale but for their future endeavours as well. Through the programme, we aim to equip the participants with technical skills, instill them with confidence and help them in thinking innovatively. As we approach the grand pitch event, we are excited to see how these participants will bring their path-breaking ideas to life and create positive social change,” said Samsung Southwest Asia corporate VP SP Chun.
“The innovation and creativity displayed by these young minds are truly inspiring. Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ programme has been a substantial contributor in providing these students with the right mentorship and training needed to refine, elevate and nurture their ideas. FITT takes immense pride in being a part of this esteemed platform, where young innovators are empowered with the skills and confidence that will remain integral to their future journeys,” said IIT Delhi managing director, FITT, Nikhil Agarwal.
This edition of the ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ 2024 programme has seen participants from some of the country’s most remote regions, including Imphal in Manipur, East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, and Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. All students were inspired to develop ideas aimed at addressing societal issues, fulfilling Samsung’s mission to leverage technological innovation to improve the lives of people, particularly those in underprivileged communities.
Here are the finalist 5 teams of the School Track and the problems they are solving
SkyGuard Wildfire Monitoring: Reduce the adverse impact of air pollution and wildlife risks on communities, especially those in peri-urban, rural, and forested areas by developing solutions that focus on environmental monitoring and public health improvement by providing real-time data to mitigate the adverse effects.
Eco Tech Innovator: The team is developing a solution to reduce the ill effects of arsenic contamination in drinking water sources, leading to reduction of essential minerals.
Praetor VR: The team envisions developing affordable VR-based learning solutions for students who cannot afford the expensive ones.
You: Provide support to the LGBTQ community by offering legal, and educational initiatives to encourage acceptance and equality.
HamaraLabs: Developed an app that gives course information, breaking it down to make decision-making easy.
Here are the finalist 5 teams of the Youth Track and the problems they are solving
Metal: Finding a solution to the problem of arsenic contamination, particularly in groundwater.
Team Hemta: Developed solutions to reduce the burning of agricultural waste.
BioD: Offering solutions to help the overdependence of single-use plastics that contribute to carbon footprint as well as oceanic and landfill pollution.
Ramdhan Lodha: Addresses agricultural challenges by offering sustainable and farmer-friendly solutions.
EnvTech: Offering groundwater solutions to help reduce overdependence on borewells.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
