Seven other finalist teams were recognised with gift vouchers and may be considered for internship opportunities following further evaluation.Maruti Suzuki India Limited has concluded the first edition of its Maruti Suzuki Design Challenge, an initiative aimed at building stronger links between young design talent and the automobile industry.
The competition drew participation from more than 400 students representing 70 Indian and international design institutes. The challenge invited students to conceptualise future mobility solutions and vehicle design ideas, reflecting the company’s efforts to expand its open innovation ecosystem.
After a four-stage evaluation process, teams from MIT Institute of Design, Pune; Association of Designers of India at VIT, Vellore; and Strate School of Design, Bengaluru, emerged as the top three winners. In addition to cash prizes, the winning teams will receive a six-month internship with Maruti Suzuki’s design team, where they will work on future vehicle programmes.
Seven other finalist teams were recognised with gift vouchers and may be considered for internship opportunities following further evaluation.
According to Maruti Suzuki, the initiative is intended to provide young designers with exposure to real-world automotive design processes while enabling the company to access fresh perspectives on mobility and vehicle aesthetics.
“Design plays a critical role in influencing customer choice, and engaging with young designers allows us to explore new ideas and challenge conventional thinking,” said Hisashi Takeuchi, MD and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India.
The company said the design challenge complements its ongoing engagement with startups and academic institutions as it looks to strengthen in-house design capabilities and co-create future-ready mobility solutions for the Indian market.
