Solar Decathlon India

What Solar Decathlon India does

Solar Decathlon India (SDI) is a student-focused net-zero building and energy-efficient design competition organized jointly by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), headquartered in Bengaluru and founded in 2020. The program serves undergraduate and postgraduate architecture, engineering, and design students from 150+ institutions across India, providing them with structured project cycles, mentorship from 290+ faculty, and exposure to industry partners. Annual cycles have scaled from the inaugural cohort to 2,100+ participating students and 290 faculty mentors in the 2024-25 edition, with the 2025-26 cycle drawing 179 first-deliverable submissions and 30 scholarship-qualified teams.

The core product is the SDI Challenge, structured into two tracks — a Building Challenge (full-scale net-zero building design) and a Product Challenge (component-level innovation) — supported by an ecosystem of complementary programs including the NTEACH faculty recognition initiative, the CSI Award, the Climate Currents content series, and a Career Fair connecting participants to 50+ employer organizations. Underlying program infrastructure includes structured deliverables, jury evaluation, scholarship grants, and an industry partnership network that includes Tata Realty, Lodha Group, Rohan Builders, and Infosys Mysore (which hosted the 2024-25 Finals). The technology layer is conventional for an educational competition platform: project submission systems, jury workflows, and content publishing — no proprietary AI, modeling, or simulation technology is disclosed in the input.

The business model is non-commercial. SDI does not charge participant or team fees and does not generate disclosed commercial revenue. Operations appear to be funded through a mix of institutional sponsorship, project partner contributions, and grants from the organizing bodies (IIHS and AEEE), with the organization employing 82 people as of the most recent disclosure. As a result, the unit economics relevant to a commercial enterprise — pricing, gross margin, customer LTV — are not applicable; the relevant financial signals are participation scale, partner breadth, and program continuity.

Name

Solar Decathlon India

Legal name

Solar Decathlon India

Website

https://solardecathlonindia.in

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Solar Decathlon India is a Bengaluru-based student competition (founded 2020) organized by IIHS and AEEE that runs annual net-zero building and energy-efficient design challenges for students from 150+ Indian institutions, supported by industry partners and a Career Fair, and operates without participant fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Building Design Competition

akta.pro primary industry

Academic Decathlon & Interdisciplinary Competitions (EDAMAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Workforce, Training & Safety Services (Installer Training, Certification, EHS) (EUAMABAO), Solar Design, Engineering & Performance Software (PV Modeling, Digital Twins, Monitoring) (EUAMABAH)

Keywords

• Sustainable building competition
• Net-zero architecture challenge
• Student design competition
• Building science education
• Green building innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

India

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Solar Decathlon India runs an annual student design competition in which undergraduate and postgraduate teams from Indian institutions design net-zero-energy-water buildings for real project partners supplied by real estate developers and building owners. The program operates two challenge tracks (Building Challenge and Product Challenge), provides self-learning modules on building science, grants scholarships for component models and prototypes, hosts an annual Finals event with a Career Fair, and recognizes innovation through the Climate Smart Innovation Exhibition & Award (CSI) and the NTEACH award for architecture educators.

Product overview

Solar Decathlon India (SDI) is a student competition platform for net-zero building design, comprising two main challenge tracks: the Building Challenge where student teams design net-zero-energy-water buildings for real project partners, and the Product Challenge where teams develop innovative market-ready solutions. The platform provides educational resources including Self-Learning Modules on building science and simulation software access. SDI also operates complementary programs including the NTEACH award for architecture educators, the Climate Smart Innovation Exhibition & Award (CSI), and a Career Fair connecting finalists with sustainability employers. Grant programs support teams in building component models and product prototypes. Climate Currents provides curated climate change content. The platform positions itself as the world's largest net-zero building challenge, running annual challenge cycles since 2020-21.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Challenge Annual student competition track in which multidisciplinary student teams from Indian institutions design net-zero-energy-water buildings for real project partners (real estate developers and building owners). Teams create full-scale component models with actual materials and present their designs at the SDI Finals. Qualifying teams receive Component Model Scholarship Grants.
• Product Challenge Annual student competition track in which student teams develop and prototype innovative, affordable, market-ready solutions for net-zero buildings. Finalist teams receive Prototype Development Grants and present working prototypes at the SDI Finals for testing and user experience evaluation.
• Self-Learning Modules Online learning modules covering building science, energy efficiency, water sufficiency, cost estimation, resilience, and net-zero building design. Made available to participating student teams to develop expertise in sustainable building before and during the challenge.
• Climate Currents Curated content series providing recommendations on readings and media focused on climate change, covering broader context beyond buildings and cities. Designed to inform and engage audiences on climate challenges, opportunities, and solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,100 students and 290 faculty mentors from 150+ institutions participated in the 2024-25 Challenge
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Indian Institute for Human SettlementscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025IIHS is the primary organizing institution behind Solar Decathlon India, providing institutional leadership and administrative framework for the challenge program.
• Alliance for an Energy Efficient EconomycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AEEE is a co-organizer of SDI, bringing expertise in energy efficiency and supporting the net-zero building mission of the challenge.
• Infosys MysoreflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Infosys Mysore hosts the SDI Finals 2026, providing the venue for finalist team presentations, jury evaluations, and the Career Fair connecting students with employers.
• Lodha GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Project partner showcasing their net-zero Urban Accelerator through SDI collaboration, demonstrating that growth can be decoupled from emissions.
• Tata Realty & Infrastructure LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Industry partner providing project opportunities and expertise evaluation for student designs, with representatives serving on juries and mentoring teams.
• SEEDS IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Implementation partner that adopted a student team design, achieving 30% cost reduction and implementing the innovative solution in their projects.
• CrasteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Startup partner providing industry perspective and mentorship to student teams, focused on sustainable building solutions and climate action.
• Rohan Builders (India) Pvt. Ltd.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Project partner providing real construction worker housing project for student teams. The Grand Winner team Anvaya from BMS College designed a net-zero solution for Rohan Builders' project.
• Passive House InstitutecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Germany-based technical partner providing expertise on passive house standards and resilience approaches, supporting student teams in implementing international best practices in energy-efficient building design.
• NaviraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Project partner with unique sustainability approach (Saptha Patha concept) including land, people and food, providing diverse design challenges for student teams.
• Sandeep Shikre & Associates (SSA Architects)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Architecture firm advocating for SDI as a movement that transforms mindsets of young talents to approach the built environment sensitively, scientifically, and sensibly.

Scale indicators8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): USGBC administers LEED and runs extensive green-building education and credentialing programs. It is comparable as a widely recognised education and certification entity serving the sustainable-building workforce, although US-only and broader in scope.
• World Green Building Council: World GBC is the global umbrella body coordinating national green building councils and running global campaigns and training programs. It shares SDI's mandate of advancing net-zero building capability at scale, but operates through policy and advocacy rather than annual student competitions.

Others

• Holcim Foundation: The Holcim Foundation runs global awards for sustainable construction and associated educational programs. It is comparable as an open competition platform that channels industry attention to sustainable building design.
• CII - Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre: Operated under the Confederation of Indian Industry, this centre drives Indian industry sustainability programs, training, and the IGBC rating system. It is comparable as an India-based convener that links real estate developers, construction firms, and green-building capability building.

Regional players

• TERI - The Energy and Resources Institute: TERI is a leading Indian research and education institute covering energy, environment, and sustainable built environment topics. It is comparable in being an India-based convener of sustainability research and capacity-building programs for the building sector.
• International Solar Alliance: The International Solar Alliance is headquartered in India and runs solar-energy capacity building, training, and country partnerships. It is comparable in addressing solar/net-zero workforce development, particularly across emerging markets.
• Singapore Green Building Council: SGBC runs green-building certification and education programs across Singapore and Southeast Asia, with strong overlap to SDI's mission of growing a regional net-zero building ecosystem. It does not directly compete in India but is structurally comparable.

Direct peers

• U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon: The original U.S. Solar Decathlon is the direct parent program of Solar Decathlon India, running the same model of student teams designing and building net-zero homes. It is the most structurally comparable organisation to SDI in terms of competition format, judging, and educational mission.
• Indian Green Building Council (IGBC / CII): IGBC is India's primary green building rating and education body, operating training programs, certification ratings, and green-building events for professionals and students. It competes with SDI for institutional mindshare in Indian sustainable-building education.
• Solar Decathlon Europe: Solar Decathlon Europe runs the European sister version of the same student net-zero building competition. It targets university teams across Europe with a similar Building Challenge format, making it a tight direct analogue to SDI's annual challenge.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=ULE7Ekr5Lhk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/solar-decathlon-india

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solar Decathlon India