Numerous innovations lined the hall in IIT-Madras, as college students showcased their creations as part of the innoWAH! Program on Saturday.
As one student explained the function of an automated neocare incubator unit, another spoke about the working of solar-powered cycle. It was part of the innovation competition organised by PALS, an initiative led by alumni of IITs where over 60 teams of college students from various districts participated. The initiative aims to augment quality of engineering education in colleges. In the innoWAH! Program, 12 teams emerged winners.
Students demonstrating their product at PALS innoWAH! exhibition at IIT-Madras on Saturday. | Photo Credit: VELANKANNI RAJ B
As many as 44 colleges partnered with PALS in the year-long programme to enable their students to create an entrepreneurial project in an effort to make them industry-ready upon graduation. Webinars and lectures were organised for the students to help them understand start-up culture and to create a sense of entrepreneurship among them.
This year’s theme was Startup Solutions for Sustainability Challenges.
Speaking about the initiative, chairman of PALS P.V. Mohan said, “The Indian industry landscape is changing. Today almost everybody is talking about start-up and the government too is making efforts to create an environment that is conducive for start-ups. Hence, we have changed from just project prototype work to help students learn to become entrepreneurs.”
Among the winning projects was a multigrain drier invented by a four-member team from K. G Reddy College of Engineering and Technology. “Using a coil to blow hot air on the grains, the device would dry the grains, hence eliminating dependency on the sun to a large extent,” said Swathi. A, a student from the college.
