Deadline Date: June 22, 2026
The CavinKare–MMA ChinniKrishnan Innovation Award is a national recognition program that supports and celebrates innovative ideas from small-scale enterprises and entrepreneurs in India by providing funding, mentorship, and industry-level guidance.
The program focuses on innovation recognition, support for startups and small-scale enterprises, marketing and business development mentorship, financial and operational guidance, intellectual property support, business scalability, sustainability, and evaluation of uniqueness and real-world benefits of products and services.
The CavinKare–MMA ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards are designed to encourage and recognize inventive efforts from entrepreneurs and small business owners. The initiative highlights the importance of innovation that goes beyond creativity by focusing on real-world impact, market adoption, and sustainable business growth.
Selected innovators receive a cash award of one lakh rupees along with national-level recognition. In addition to the financial support, awardees benefit from mentorship and guidance provided by leading industrial experts in India, helping them strengthen and scale their ventures.
The program also provides structured support in key business areas including marketing, finance, design, packaging, research and development, and human resources. Awardees gain access to direct industry connections for one year, enabling them to interact with top talent and strengthen their operational capabilities.
Additional support includes assistance with intellectual property acquisition and facilitation of business linkages with banks and financial institutions, helping startups build stronger financial and legal foundations for growth.
Eligibility is limited to Indian citizens operating startups or small-scale enterprises with an annual turnover not exceeding 50 crore rupees for the financial years 2024–2025 or 2025–26. Applicants must submit an online nomination form and provide a brief description of their innovation within 300 words, explaining how their business is unique or different.
The selection process evaluates entries based on four key criteria. Uniqueness assesses how well the product or service is differentiated and its value to customers. Benefits to people measure the short-term and long-term real-world impact on end users. Scalability evaluates the ability of the product or service to expand into broader markets within a reasonable timeframe. Sustainability ensures that the innovation is viable and long-lasting in practical application.
For more information, visit CavinKare.
