S. Vishnu Sharma
IIT Madras organized ‘Nirmaan Demo Day 2024’ to showcase the student innovations.
These innovations are supported by Nirmaan, a pre-incubator on campus which works to empower young innovators and guide them in transforming their ideas into market-ready solutions.
Through a strategic partnership with IIT Madras Incubation Cell, Nirmaan connects students to real-world entrepreneurial support, helping turn their ideas into sustainable ventures.
Presentation
A total of 30 Start-Ups at the idea stage in different sectors like AI, Healthtech, Deeptech and Sustainability, presented their innovations to investors, industry experts and the IIT Madras community during ‘Nirmaan Demo Day 2024’, which the Institute plans to make an annual event.
Inauguration
Nirmaan Demo Day 2024 was inaugurated on 27 September 2024 by Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.
Guest of Honor for the inauguration was Dr. Srikanth Sundararajan, General Partner – VentureEast.
Mr. Navratan Kataria, Director (Startup engagement & Innovation Ecosystem) NASSCOM Centre of Excellence for AI & IoT, Prof. Sathyanarayana N. Gummadi, Dean (Students), IIT Madras, Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal, Advisor (Innovation and Entrepreneurship), IIT Madras, students and faculty were among those present during the inauguration.
Director of IIT Madras
Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, the inaugural Demo Day is a key milestone for our pre-incubator, and we are thrilled to showcase the talent, creativity, and drive of our student entrepreneurs.
This event is a testament to IIT Madras’ commitment to fostering innovation and offering our students a platform to shape the future, he said.
He further said Demo Day will serve as a launchpad for these young startups, offering them an opportunity to engage with investors, industry veterans, and potential collaborators.
We invite everyone to come and witness firsthand the innovative spirit that defines IIT Madras and Nirmaan, he said.
Support
Nirmaan supports over 85 active student-led start-ups in fields. As many as 26 Start-Ups have already graduated from its program, collectively reaching a valuation of over Rs. 1,000 Cr and have raised more than Rs. 108 Cr in venture funding.
Some of the successful graduates of Nirmaan include Urban Matrix, Modulus Housing, Tan90, Tocal, Infyu Labs, Involve, Melvano, Susstains, GIMS, Plenome Technologies, Prescribe, and Galaxeye Space, which recently raised Rs. 17 Crore from Infosys.
Importance
Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal, Advisor (Innovation and Entrepreneurship), IIT Madras spoke about importance of such events.
At Nirmaan, we strive to catalyze faculty and student innovations into market-ready prototypes and start-ups, said Prof Prabhu of IIT Madras.
With the motto of ‘IIT Madras for all’ as per vision of Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director. Our support services are now also available for teams in the wider region who wish to connect with IIT Madras in some way. he said.
He further said their one-year long program includes two six-month cohorts including the training and market discovery phase ‘Pratham’ and the formal pre-incubation phase ‘Akshar’.
This last year has been very eventful for Nirmaan with 85+ active teams across our cohorts. We are very excited to showcase the achievements of these teams through our very first Demo Day this year, he said.
The event is expected to provide a glimpse into our work to all stakeholders, including innovators, faculty, and members of the VC community, he said.
Unique opportunities
Nirmaan stands out for the unique opportunities it provides to aspiring entrepreneurs, say sources from IIT Madras.
With its dedicated workspace, targeted mentorship, and customized training programs like ‘Pratham’ and ‘Akshar’, Nirmaan offers a supportive environment for students to experiment, innovate, and develop their ideas.
Acceptance
Start-ups are accepted at the idea stage and participate in the eight-week Pratham workshop, where they learn from industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs how to build a business.
During this program, they receive a seed grant to create a Minimally Viable Prototype, conduct market research and create a business plan, say sources from IIT Madras.
Additional funding
Following this, Start-ups advance to the Akshar program, where they access additional funding and support to develop and launch their product and gain pilot implementations.
Nirmaan also connects startups with a network of experienced mentors, providing guidance at every step of their entrepreneurial journey.
This combination of resources, mentorship, and a safe space to explore ideas makes Nirmaan a standout platform for startup development at IIT Madras.
Student experience
Sharing his experience on ‘Nirmaan Demo Day 2024’, Mr. Yuvraj Thakur, Student Head, Nirmaan-IIT Madras, said they (students) are balancing our academic pursuits with building their Start-Ups.
Nirmaan provides us with a supportive environment to develop our ideas and explore entrepreneurship as a career, he said.
Start-Ups present their ideas during the Demo Day have spent years refining their innovations and creating market-worthy products, he said.
We aim to instill the spirit of entrepreneurship in students through our pre-incubation program, guiding them through their first steps into entrepreneurship, he said.
Mr. Akash Anand, an IIT Madras Student who founded Clueso Start-Up, said Nirmaan has been an invaluable partner in our journey from concept to a thriving startup.
Their comprehensive support, including technical assistance, financial aid, and access to a network of experienced mentors, has been instrumental in our success, he said.
The workshops provided us with essential skills, and the state-of-the-art infrastructure offered an ideal environment for innovation and growth, he said.
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‘Thanks to Nirmaan, Clueso transformed from a mere idea into a successful business.’