ATLAS SkillTech University, in knowledge partnership with PwC India, recently hosted the prestigious Next Gen Leaders Case Competition, India’s largest Pre-MBA Case Competition, designed to challenge and inspire the brightest young minds. This highly anticipated event, launched in October 2024, brought together over 4,000 students from 1,500+ leading institutions, providing them with a platform to address some of India’s most critical urban challenges. The competition recently culminated in an exciting grand finale at ATLAS SkillTech University in Mumbai, where innovative solutions took centre stage.
“ATLAS-PwC Next Gen Leaders Case Competition demonstrates ATLAS’ commitment to experiential learning, adopting critical thinking, creativity and leadership among students.” – Dr. Indu Shahani, Founding President & Chancellor, ATLAS SkillTech University
A Platform for Innovation & Collaboration
The competition saw remarkable participation from top-tier institutions like SRCC, IIT Bombay, NIT Rourkela and Jai Hind College, with students tackling pressing urban issues such as:
Waste Management
Urban Housing
Flooding
Traffic Congestion
Participants formed teams of two or three and worked rigorously to develop actionable solutions. After two intense rounds of evaluation, the top 10 finalist teams advanced to the grand finale, where they presented their ground-breaking solutions before an esteemed panel of judges.
A Rigorous Competition Structure
The competition was structured into three major rounds:
Round 1: Teams submitted comprehensive case studies outlining their research and proposed solutions.
Round 2: 30 teams were shortlisted to present their ideas to a distinguished panel of judges, assessing analytical skills and feasibility.
Grand Finale: The top 10 teams presented their ideas in Mumbai before an esteemed jury comprising industry leaders and academic experts.
“This competition is more than just a challenge; it’s an opportunity for students to apply their business acumen to real-world problems while receiving valuable mentorship from industry experts.” – Mr. Siddharth Shahani, Executive President, ATLAS SkillTech University
Meet the Judges
The finalists had the privilege of presenting their solutions to a prestigious panel, including:
Vivek Srivastava, Managing Director, PwC India
Kunjal Thakkar, Director, PwC India
Dr. Parag Amin, Registrar, ATLAS SkillTech University
Dr. Chetana Asbe, Finance Consultant, Corporate Trainer, ATLAS SkillTech University
Dr. Ameya Ambulkar, Strategy Consultant, Growth Marketing Specialist, ATLAS SkillTech University
Recognising Excellence: The Winners
After an intense final round, the best solutions were rewarded based on creativity, feasibility, impact and business viability.
Winner: Team Insight Igniters- Bhilai Institute of Technology, Durg and National Institute of Technology (NIT), Raipur
Team: Anuoshka Singh – Bhilai Institute of Technology (BIT), Durg and Namit Chawda – National Institute of Technology (NIT), Raipur
Cash Prize: ₹1,00,000 + ATLAS ISME Scholarship Their project- ‘Waste Management Redefined: Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Kalyanpura,’ introduced a strategic waste management system focusing on partnerships with private companies, zero-waste communities and enhanced municipal waste management.
First Runner-Up: Team Day 1 or 1 Day- IIT Bombay
Team: Shreyas Kulkarni – Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai; Parul Khicha – Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai and Atharv Jain – Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai
Cash Prize: ₹50,000 + ATLAS ISME Scholarship Their innovative Underground Water Collecting Discharge Tank System, inspired by Tokyo’s reservoir model, aimed at mitigating urban flooding in Kalyanpura.
Second Runner-Up: Team Logic Hustlers- NIT Rourkela, Team Market Minds- Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Mumbai
SPIT Team: Gayatri Mayee – Sardar Patel Institute of Technology (SPIT), Mumbai; Harsh Kasliwal – Sardar Patel Institute of Technology (SPIT), Mumbai and Pulkit Dwivedi – Sardar Patel Institute of Technology (SPIT), Mumbai NIT Team: Sanidhya Jindal – National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela; Sparsh Parashar – National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela and Anshuman Trivedi – National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela
Cash Prize: ₹50,000 + ATLAS ISME Scholarship each Logic Hustlers proposed an AI-powered traffic management system to optimize urban commuting, while Market Minds developed a sustainable waste management roadmap integrating stricter regulations and infrastructure enhancements.
Insights from the Competition
Innovation in Sustainability: Winning teams demonstrated how technology-driven solutions can tackle urban challenges.
The Role of Data & Technology: AI, IoT and data analytics played a significant role in crafting impactful solutions.
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Combining business, urban planning and technology expertise proved essential for success.
Real-World Impact: The competition offered students an opportunity to design solutions that could genuinely influence urban development policies.
A Vision for the Future
The Next Gen Leaders Case Competition was a resounding success, showcasing the transformative power of young minds in addressing real-world challenges. This initiative aligns with ATLAS SkillTech University’s vision of nurturing industry-driven education that equips students with future-ready skills.
For the participants, the event was more than just a competition—it was a stepping stone to leadership and impact in their future careers. ATLAS SkillTech University continues to build an ecosystem of innovation, mentorship and excellence, preparing students to become leaders of tomorrow.
