BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], October 16: Today, 20 student-led inventions from around the world have been shortlisted as finalists in the 2025 James Dyson Award, bringing them one step closer to the global prize. For the first time ever, an Indian innovation, OncoALERT, has reached the finals of James Dyson Award globally. This marks a proud moment for India, showcasing the growing strength of young inventors and problem-solvers in the country. Competing against groundbreaking ideas from across the world, it represents India's spirit of innovation and creativity on a global platform, underscoring how local ingenuity can make a global impact.
The shortlisted entry from India is developed by Jayanti Kumari from the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (an autonomous institute under the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), OncoALERT addresses one of India's most pressing health challenges - the late detection of oral cancer.
Oral cancer remains one of India's most fatal diseases, with countless cases detected only at advanced stages due to the lack of timely screening, specialists, and diagnostic infrastructure in rural areas. During a medical internship in Dholai, Assam, the inventor witnessed this reality when Amit, a local labourer and father of four, died from a misdiagnosed oral lesion, an entirely preventable tragedy. His daughter, just 11 years old, had to drop out of school to support her siblings. Stories like this highlight the urgent need for accessible, early detection tools. OncoALERT addresses this gap through a rapid, needle-free oral cancer test powered by nanotechnology. With 95% accuracy, the device uses biodegradable paper instead of plastics, offering a dignified, low-cost solution for mass home screening. Requiring no labs, specialists, or electricity, OncoALERT empowers communities with early detection, helping save lives and rewrite the story of families otherwise devastated by late diagnosis.
The Award's Top 20 shortlist addresses the world's most pressing problems
1. Overcoming anxiety towards medical screening: Dr. Jayanti Kumari in India has been shortlisted for her invention OncoALERT, a needle-free oral cancer test powered by paper-based nanotechnology. In the UK, Yidan Xu progresses to the Top 20 shortlist with Urify, a toilet-cleaning tablet which also screens for early kidney disease. The invention was inspired by Yidan's father, whose chronic kidney disease was diagnosed at a late stage due to delayed screening.
2. Empowering individuals with accessibility needs: A team of industrial design undergraduates in Turkiye makes learning Braille fun through movement and sound with BrailleSteps. Bradley Wagman and Viktor Bokisch from the US address mobility challenges for people with foot drop with their invention Sole 1 a soft, wearable device that uses artificial muscles to help people move more naturally.
3. Reducing waste and energy consumption: Tackling waste in the healthcare sector, Pablo Yaniz Gonzalez in the Netherlands designs POMPA, a reusable inflator for blood vessel procedures using components which can be sterilised then used again. In Malaysia, the team behind UNBLOK transforms palm oil waste into biodegradable kitchen filters that trap fats, oils, and grease, simplifying sewage treatment.
Celebrating bold approaches to problem-solving, the James Dyson Award is an international design engineering competition that challenges young inventors to develop solutions to real-world issues. This year, entries tackle problems from climate change, accessibility in healthcare, to disaster response.
This year's global finalists were selected by a panel of 15 Dyson engineers based in the UK, US, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. They bring a wide range of expertise, from product design and sustainability to electronics and materials science. Each invention was evaluated on its functionality, design process, originality, and commercial viability.
Robyn Coutts, Head of Innovation and Delivery at Dyson and James Dyson Award 2025 Top 20 Judge said: "This year we had a wide ranging and innovative submissions that addressed some of the biggest challenges facing our society today. The judges had a real challenge to choose the Top 20 shortlist, and had some great debates about which ideas were both truly innovative and realistic for the market. All the entrants should be proud of their inventions. I look forward to seeing who wins!"
The overall global winners, selected by Sir James Dyson, will be announced on 5th November. Each winner will receive around Rs. 31,50,000 in prize money to support the next phase of their invention.
The Top 20 Shortlist
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