Brilliant teenage students develop mind-blowing inventions to solve global crisis: 'I got goosebumps'
More than 100 young innovators gathered at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi this June to develop solutions to climate change and build the future, one planet-friendly prototype at a time.
ETV Bharat reported that the Change Makers 2025 Summer Bootcamp brought together 106 students aged 15 to 19 from across India to develop real-world solutions to the climate crisis.
Over three weeks, students formed teams and tackled pressing issues like carbon emissions, microplastics, e-waste, and heatwaves. The teams then turned their ideas into working prototypes under the mentorship of scientists, professors, and entrepreneurs at the institute.
Students at the bootcamp introduced a range of bold, locally relevant innovations that did things like convert pedal power into electricity and transform irrigation with data.
One green tech project, Re-Volt Ride, uses a bicycle-mounted dynamo to generate clean electricity for charging phones and LED lights. Another project dubbed Neer-Veer tackles water waste in agriculture with a solar-powered smart irrigation system that includes sensors and a dashboard to guide farmers' decisions.
"I got goosebumps watching the final presentations," said professor and bootcamp coordinator Jay Dhariwal. "These kids aren't just learning, they're doing, and with the right support, some of these projects could become national interventions."
The initiative behind these projects does not stop after the program ends; students will receive continued mentorship and scaling support to kickstart their ideas.
According to 4-H, climate change is top of mind for 84% of teens. While for some, thinking about rising global temperatures — and their negative impact on humanity and the environment — may cause anxiety, for others, it spurs local action and inspires hope.
"Most people experiencing climate-related distress are not hiding under the covers. They're taking action to help solve the problem," said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Programs like the Change Makers Bootcamp, which center solutions-oriented thinking, inspire action and give youth the opportunity to make a real impact in their communities and beyond.
One LinkedIn post about the Changemakers program read, "They are not just visitors - they are future founders, innovators, and problem-solvers in the making."
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