Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras organised its first ever ‘Nirmaan Demo Day 2024’ to showcase students' innovations supported by Nirmaan, a pre-incubator on campus that works to empower young innovators and guides them in transforming their ideas into market-ready solutions.
A total of 30 startups across various sectors namely 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. In partnership with IIT Madras Incubation Cell, Nirmaan connects students to real-world entrepreneurial support, helping turn their ideas into sustainable ventures.
The Nirmaan Demo Day was inaugurated today by Prof. V. Kamakoti, director, IIT Madras, in the presence of guest of honour Dr. Srikanth Sundararajan, general partner - VentureEast, 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.
Nirmaan Demo Day has served as a launchpad for startups
Addressing the event, Prof. 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.”
“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.
Nirmaan supports over 85 active student-led startups in various fields. As many as 26 startups have already graduated from its programme, collectively reaching a valuation of over Rs 1,000 crore and have raised more than Rs 108 crore in venture funding.
Among the successful Nirmaan graduates 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.
Highlighting the importance of such events to turn students into entrepreneurs and job-generators, Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal said, “At Nirmaan, we strive to catalyse faculty and student innovations into market-ready prototypes and startups. With the motto of ‘IITM for all’ as per vision of Prof. V. Kamakoti. Our support services are now also available for teams in the wider region who wish to connect with IIT Madras in some way.”
Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal added, “Our one-year long programme 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. The event is expected to provide a glimpse into our work to all stakeholders, including innovators, faculty, and members of the VC community”
Nirmaan stands out for the unique opportunities it provides to aspiring entrepreneurs. With its dedicated workspace, targeted mentorship, and customised training programmes like ‘Pratham’ and ‘Akshar’, Nirmaan offers a supportive environment for students to experiment, innovate, and develop their ideas.
Students' experience
- Sharing his experience of the ‘Nirmaan Demo Day 2024’, Yuvraj Thakur, student head, Nirmaan-IIT Madras, said, “We are balancing our academic pursuits along with building startups. Nirmaan provides us with a supportive environment to develop our ideas and explore entrepreneurship as a career. Startups that present their ideas during the Demo Day have spent years refining their innovations and creating market-worthy products. We aim to instill the spirit of entrepreneurship in students through our pre-incubation programme, guiding them through their first steps into entrepreneurship.”
- Akash Anand, an IIT Madras student and founder of Clueso startup, said, “Nirmaan has been an invaluable partner in our journey from concept to a thriving startup. The comprehensive support, including technical assistance, financial aid, and access to a network of experienced mentors, have been instrumental in our success. The workshops provided us with essential skills, and the state-of-the-art infrastructure offered an ideal environment for innovation and growth. Thanks to Nirmaan, Clueso transformed from a mere idea into a successful business.”
- M. Nithin Maloth, an IIT Madras student who founded Nexuscare startup, said, “From the very beginning, I have been with Nirmaan and have seen it evolve into a model of excellence. ‘Medlock’ (now registered as ‘Nexuscare’) has benefitted immensely from the steadfast support of the Nirmaan team. I recommend Nirmaan as the perfect starting point for any entrepreneur. The founder’s journey is typically solitary and perplexing, but with Nirmaan, it has been a collaborative and clear path.”
- Easwar Veeragandham, an IIT Madras student and Krishaka startup founder, said, “Krishaka has been part of the Nirmaan for the past two years. Nirmaan provided us with invaluable mentorship, field contacts, manufacturing support, and prototyping funding. Their organized talks with industry veterans enriched our knowledge and guided our growth. Thanks to their unwavering commitment to innovation, Krishaka could turn ideas into a feasible business.”
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