Company Disclosure

Schaeffler India Limited (BSE: 505790, NSE: SCHAEFFLER) submitted a press release disclosure to BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited regarding the launch of their Social Innovation Fellowship program for 2026-27.

Program Overview

Schaeffler India Limited announced the launch of the Schaeffler India Social Innovation Fellowship 2026-27, described as a "future forward initiative" now in its fifth year. The program aims to recognize and empower individuals developing innovative, sustainable solutions with potential for meaningful social and environmental impact.

The fellowship is designed to identify, support and accelerate 10 high-potential social innovators from across India, with deliberate focus on entrepreneurs from Tier II, Tier III and rural geographies.

Program Structure and Benefits

The 24-week cohort program will be delivered by IIMA Ventures at IIM Ahmedabad. Selected fellows will receive:

  • Financial grant of Rs 2 Lakhs each
  • Structured mentorship
  • Industry exposure
  • Access to leading innovation ecosystems
  • Business, impact and investor readiness capabilities development
  • Structured networking opportunities
  • Post-program impact tracking

The program aims to enable innovators to strengthen and scale solutions addressing India's most pressing social and environmental challenges.

Application Details

Application Period: July 15, 2026 to August 31, 2026

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Individual innovators, startups and organizations (both for-profit and non-profit)
  • Aged between 18 and 35 years
  • Must have developed functional prototypes
  • Working to solve critical development challenges across specified sectors

Target Sectors: Healthcare, agriculture, education, sanitation & WASH, clean energy, livelihoods, manufacturing safety, mobility, environment and sustainability.

Selection Process

The selection process includes:

  • Application screening
  • Document verification
  • Multistage evaluation
  • Interactions with subject matter experts
  • Final jury presentation before industry leaders

Program Partners

The Schaeffler India Social Innovator Fellowship Program 2026 is implemented by:

  • IHFC (I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics) - Implementation partner
  • India Accelerator - Program management and evaluation partner
  • IIMA Ventures - Cohort-based mentorship and venture development program delivery

Historical Context

Since its inception in 2021, the fellowship has supported over 41 early-stage social innovators across India. Several previous fellows have received national recognition, attracted investments, and successfully scaled their innovations.

Company Background

Schaeffler India brings an 80-year global legacy of innovation in motion technology to the Indian market. The company has:

  • Five manufacturing plants in India (Pune, Savli, Maneja, Hosur and Shoolagiri)
  • Three R&D centers
  • Five sales offices
  • Strong industrial and automotive aftermarket network
  • Workforce of over 3,800 employees in India
  • Presence in India for over 60 years

Application Portal

Applications can be submitted at: https://indiaaccelerator.co/schaeffler-social-innovator-fellowship