RB Global Challenge 2020 picks its Indian Champion from IIM Calcutta at National Finale!

A business with purpose, Reckitt Benckiser (RB) exists to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner and healthier world. With this noble ideology, the British multinational company hosts RB Global Challenge each year across the globe to experience the #FreedomToSucceed at RB. Maintaining the legacy, this year also RB gave an opportunity to bright entrepreneurs with a purpose to innovate and join the fight to make access to the highest quality hygiene, wellness and nourishment a right and not a privilege. To give you chills, we present you the major highlights of the RB Global Challenge 2020 National Finale, which showcased how the best minds across multiple markets impressed the top leaders at RB!

Kickstarted in 2017 with 5500 registrations, RB Global Challenge has traversed and come a long way to hit 16,5000 registrations in 2019 and 19,000 in 2020! All geared up to solve a global problem, all the entrepreneurs with purpose joined this global championship to focus on one idea at a time. RB Global Challenge 2020 ended its quest for the entrepreneurs who can translate the power into scalable and financially viable business problems on 21 January 2020 with its National Finale.

Targeting a real problem in the area of health and hygiene by making use of product innovation, product extension, or service innovation, the students enrolled in the 1st year or 2nd year of the flagship MBA programs of 22 premiere B-Schools across the country registered and sailed past the various stages of the RB Global Challenge 2020.

Five discrete stages of successful innovation

The competition was prudently designed into different stages based on analyzing the agility of the team and scale, impact, and sustainability of the idea. The five stages of the RB Global Challenge 2020 are as follows:

Round 1: Business Simulation

Round 2: Idea Submission

Round 3: Presentation

Round 4: National Finale

Round 5: Grand Finale

Being a knock-out round, all the registered teams were first tested on the basis of agility through the business decisions that they took in the fast-paced online first-round. The shortlisted teams were invited to submit their idea on an ongoing issue in the space of Health/Hygiene/Nutrition in the country. The teams were then funneled down to present their ideas to the RB team. The winners of the third round aka the RB Global Challenge National Finalists qualified for the National Finale, where they bagged a chance to present their solutions to the RB India leadership team and external jury members!

The distinguished panel of judges

What has remained constant across the past years is valuable corporate exposure and grueling evaluation rounds in carving out a new generation of entrepreneurs with purpose. And in this process, the jury plays a vital role in selecting ideas that can make a positive impact, both for the business and for the world we live in. RB Global Challenge 2020 hosted an illustrious panel of judges, Padma Shree Awardee Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai, Chair - India Advisory Board, Advent Private Equity, Past President FICCI; Mr. Rajiv Makhni, Managing Editor, Tech, NDTV; Mr. Gaurav Jain, SVP, RB Health & Nutrition, South Asia; and Narasimhan Eswar, SVP, RB Hygiene, South Asia.

Drum rolls for the winners…

In a world of 7 billion, all it takes is one idea to change the world, right? And that idea was of the Team RHS from IIM Calcutta consisting of Harsh Wardhan, Ruchira Rananavare, and Saumya Shrivastava - the RB Global Challenge India Champions 2020! Nevertheless, 11 other teams made it to the National Finals by impressing the judges with the way they stood up and presented to subject-matter experts who have been in the field for decades. The National Finalists of RB Global Challenge 2020 are as follows:

To reward the grit and determination of the winners, the RB team presented PPI and opportunity to attend fully-paid International Finale in London to the National Winners, followed by PPIs and cash prize to the National Finalists and cash prize to the top team from each campus (Campus winner) in the Presentation round!

Well, all of this could not have been better. The interest, tenacity, and commitment of the participants and every person involved in the challenge was fabulous. We wish good luck to the RB Global Challenge India Champions 2020 for the Grand Finale!

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