MHRD Innovation Cell organized a webinar of interaction with emerging innovators and entrepreneurs supported by AICTE and MHRD Innovation Cell (MIC) on 30^th April 2020. The speakers were Ms. Vandana Thakur, Female Innovator cum Entrepreneur, Canada India Acceleration Program 2020, PhD Scholar, L M College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad and Mr. Amit Sanjay Lokhande, Innovator Cum Entrepreneur, India-South Korea Startup Exchange Program 2020, PhD Scholar, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. The topic of webinar session was: “Hangout with Emerging Innovator & Entrepreneurs Supported through MIC & AICTE”. Mr. Dipan Sahu, Assistant Innovation Director, National Co-coordinator of NISP, IIC and ARIIA was the program anchor of this webinar session. Faculty members and students of Manav Rachna University attended the session. The session was very interesting, practical-oriented and motivational for those young students who aspire to be an entrepreneur and startup founder in future and those who are now participating in India National Innovation Contest 2020 nationwide from all IIC Institutions.

Objective of the session was to have interaction with these student innovators and entrepreneurs who emerged from MIC organized National Innovation Contest for IIC institutions last year (August 2019)  and listen to their story as ‘Life of an Innovator cum Entrepreneur – Do’s and Don’ts’ and Lessons Learned, Opportunities and Achievements in last one year.

Session started with Ms. Vandana R Thakur who by virtue of being the finalist in National Innovation Contest 2019 got the opportunity to become the part of Female Entrepreneur Delegation to Canada, CIAP 2020. She also has the following great credible achievements: won 2nd for best Idea in Exploring Traditional Remedies in Healthcare under Student Startup Innovation Policy (SSIP) and AIC-LMCP Foundation (ALF), 2019, Govt., of Gujarat, Recipient of IIC-Innovation Ambassador, MHRD’s Innovation Cell. She has filed patent for her innovation. Her innovation AnV-Stat is a Homeostasis Formula based Gauze for First-Aid-Kit.

As of today, women entrepreneurs in India are just 14% of entire population of entrepreneurs and majority are from metropolitan cities and not from semi urban or rural areas. Vandana’s entrepreneurial journey started when her PoC got nominated in National PoC contest of  AICTE – MIC in June 2019. She talked about the 10  technology readiness levels (TRLs) for an idea to go through the lifecycle stages – from idea to a matured full-fledged product tested in operational environment in pre-commercial scale., then solving manufacturing issues and finally launching product in commercial scale.  

Next, Mr. Amit Sanjay Lokhande narrated his journey of innovation and entrepreneurship. His innovation was “PREG-Ѷ-DET” which is a urine-based-simple, rapid and Early-pregnancy-detection-kit in cattle (cows & buffaloes). His journey of innovation also went through the same path as Ms. Vandana’s innovation. He shared with audience the lessons learnt regarding product design and compliance, business model canvas preparation, market research and sustainability, IP generation and management, pitch presentation and delivery, fund raising, possibilities of approaching different investors etc.