Group Legrand India Launches Innovation Challenge to Advance Sustainable Packaging Solutions
Group Legrand India, in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra under the HiiVE ecosystem, announced the launch of the HiiVE Legrand Innovation Challenge. The Joint Declaration of Cooperation (JDC) was signed between Group Legrand India, IICARE Foundation, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU) Lonere, and Shivaji University, Kolhapur. The challenge will be implemented by IICARE Foundation and the Environmental Forum of India.
The initiative aims to accelerate the development of sustainable packaging solutions and eliminate single‑use plastics through a collaboration of industry, academia, and government. It will bring together students, researchers, start‑ups and innovators to create practical, scalable, market‑ready alternatives that support circular‑economy and sustainability objectives. Legrand’s CSR programme underpins the effort, aligning with its global purpose of “Improving Lives” and its commitments to carbon neutrality, environmental stewardship and circular‑economy principles.
The launch event in Mumbai gathered senior government officials, Vice Chancellors, university leaders, researchers, innovators and industry experts. Mr. Tony Berland, CEO & MD of Group Legrand India, emphasized that sustainability is embedded in Legrand’s purpose and that the challenge seeks to develop Made‑in‑India alternatives to single‑use plastic that are more than 90 % biodegradable. Dr. Santosh Bhosale, Joint Secretary to the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, highlighted the state’s ambition to become a leader in sustainability‑driven innovation by leveraging university research, entrepreneurship and collaborative ecosystems.
The HiiVE (High Impact & Innovations Venture Ecosystem) platform was also unveiled, with Legrand positioned as the industrial anchor. The platform is designed to strengthen linkages between government, academia, industry and innovators, facilitating the translation of ideas into scalable solutions. The JDC establishes a long‑term framework for research, innovation, incubation and commercialization, linking industry requirements with academic expertise.
During the event, the Legrand R&D team presented the company’s sustainability priorities and packaging‑innovation efforts, followed by an interactive consultation with university Vice Chancellors, including Dr. Apoorva Palkar (Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University), Prof. Ravindra Kulkarni (University of Mumbai), Prof. Sunil Bhirud (COEP Technological University) and Prof. R. K. Kamat (DBATU Lonere). Discussions focused on strengthening industry‑academia partnerships, accelerating research commercialization and creating pathways for scaling innovative solutions.
Through the hackathon, Group Legrand India aims to identify and develop a Made‑in‑India alternative to single‑use plastic that is over 90 % biodegradable, scalable and commercially viable across industries, while also encouraging behavioural change among citizens to support the mission of single‑use plastic elimination.