Sixty student teams from top Indian high schools showcased their innovation and purpose-driven thinking in the final round of the Study Australia Entrepreneurship Challenge (SAEC) 2025, held last week in Delhi.
Run by Austrade South Asia, the initiative drew praise for moving beyond mere pitching to real-world problem solving. Austrade celebrated the challenge’s success, writing, “Real-world problems. Ideas that go beyond the classroom … students didn’t just pitch — they solved.”
Over three weeks, Year 11 students engaged in a hybrid TEDx-meets-Hackathon experience supported by Australian academic and industry mentors. Their multidisciplinary teamwork tackled real issues with originality, clarity, and impact.
The standout team, Sangam School of Excellence – A World School, Rajasthan, took home the top prize for a pitch recognised for its clarity and social impact. The Shri Ram Academy and Welham Girls’ School were awarded First and Second Runners Up, respectively, for their future-facing, creative solutions.
Austrade extended gratitude to judges Monica Kennedy, Upasana Sharma, and Kushal Dev Kashyap for their guidance, and acknowledged delivery partner HEX, outreach partner IDP Education Ltd, and sponsors Maxme, UNSW, iCodeNext, and Western Sydney University for supporting the next generation of innovators.
Participants also stand a chance to win an all-expenses-paid educational tour of Australia, cash prizes, and scholarships to leading Australian universities, with the program doubling as a showcase for Australia’s education and start-up ecosystems.
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