CavinKare-MMA awards honour healthcare, agri-tech innovations

CHENNAI: Three ventures working in healthcare and agriculture won the Innovation category at the 15th ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards 2026, organised by CavinKare in association with the Madras Management Association (MMA) here on Saturday. The awards ceremony was held at the IIT Madras Research Park. Volvo Group India president and managing director Kamal Bali was the chief guest.

Biopioneer was recognised for developing a thermostable broad-spectrum protease inhibitor intended to preserve protein biomarkers in blood, serum and plasma. The technology is designed to reduce dependence on uninterrupted refrigeration in diagnostic settings.

Prantae Solutions was awarded for Proflo-U, a portable point-of-care platform designed to measure kidney-health markers. Its system is intended to support early screening for chronic kidney disease and preeclampsia, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

EF Polymer won for Fasal Amrit, a biodegradable water-retention polymer made from fruit and agricultural waste. The product is mixed into the crop root zone to absorb surplus irrigation or rainwater and release moisture as the soil dries.

Music Temple's Gamaka Box, a patented notation method for documenting the intricate oscillations and curves known as gamakas in Indian ragas, won the Special Jury Award.

The Innovation category winners received Rs 1 lakh, a trophy and a citation each. They will also have access to CavinKare's expertise in marketing, finance, design, packaging, research and development, and human resources. The Special Jury Award carried a cash prize of Rs 50,000.

The awards, instituted in 2011 in memory of R ChinniKrishnan, received more than 850 nominations from across India this year. The Innovation category was evaluated on uniqueness, problem-solving potential, feasibility, scalability, social impact and sustainability.