IDGS announces finalists of Innovate2Educate Handheld Device Challenge ahead of WAVES 2025

The Indian Digital Gaming Society (IDGS) has revealed the top 10 finalists of its Innovate2Educate: Handheld Device Design Challenge. Organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the competition is a highlight event of the upcoming World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.

The initiative aims to drive innovation among the youth, merging technology, education, and gaming. It encourages breakthrough ideas and designs for handheld devices that could revolutionize learning experiences. The top 10 were selected from 1,856 registrations after a rigorous evaluation by an expert jury panel.

The jury included Mr. Indrajit Ghosh, Co-Founder, Eruditio; Mr. Rajeev Nagar, Country Manager, India and SAARC, Huion; and Mr. Jeffrey Cray, Co-Founder and Product Head, Squid Academy.

The selected finalists are:

1. KARNATA PARVA – Code Craft Junior (Karnataka)
2. VIDYARTHI – Smart Learning Tablet for Kids (Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh)
3. TECH TITANS – Smart Handwriting Learning Device (Tamil Nadu)
4. PROTOMINDS – EduSpark (Delhi, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar)
5. APEX ACHIEVERS – BODMAS Quest (Tamil Nadu)
6. SCIENCEVERSE – The Imperative of Interactive Educational Handheld Devices (Indonesia)
7. V20 – VFit – Interactive Learning Through Play (Tamil Nadu)
8. WARRIORS – Maha-shastra (Delhi)
9. KIDDYMAITRI – A Handheld Mathematical Gaming Console (Mumbai, Odisha, Karnataka)
10. E-GROOTS – Micro Controller Mastery Kit (Tamil Nadu)

Among the innovations, VIDYARTHI’s Smart Learning Tablet is a low-cost, voice-assisted, interactive device powered by ESP8266 or Raspberry Pi. It offers screen-free, internet-free education to children, addressing accessibility challenges.

TECH TITANS created a handwriting learning device blending traditional writing with real-time interactive feedback and multilingual support. PROTOMINDS developed EduSpark, an AI-powered handheld device that adjusts game difficulty in real-time, promoting cognitive growth in young children.

APEX ACHIEVERS designed BODMAS Quest, a gamified experience focused on helping children master mathematical concepts. WARRIORS introduced Maha-shastra, an inclusive educational ecosystem combining quizzes, simulations, AI tutoring, and offline collaboration via LoRa networks.

KIDDYMAITRI focused on improving foundational numeracy skills through a handheld gaming console inspired by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The top 10 teams will showcase their innovations at WAVES 2025 in Mumbai. Winners will be felicitated by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting during the grand finale.