Several products, ideas and plans were showcased by budding entrepreneurs (including students, faculty, alumni) to mentors and investors at IIT Bombay last week. The occasion was the launch of I-ASCEND, a joint flagship entrepreneurship forum formed with the IIT Bombay Alumni Association. The event was conducted by the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), the technology business incubation centre ofthe institute.
Some of the showcased products included Express Bike Wash – automated motorcycle wash in two minutes, Digital Hot Gold Foil Stamping Embossing Machine, and Gaona Karaoke: Proprietary Interactive Singing Interface that is used in a music app but can also be extended for other audio-applications where real-time visual feedback is required such as spoken language learning. It can be used to browse songs of different genres.
SINE was formed in the 1990s, when a pilot information technology incubator was set up at IIT Bombay. The idea was to encourage graduating students to choose entrepreneurship over corporate jobs.
Some of the innovative products of SINE include an unmanned aerial surveillance system, solar energy products, science, robotics, and computer education content, electronic governor for engine fuel efficiency, computation fluid dynamics simulator, audio entertainment platform etc. These have been developed by the companies incubated at SINE. “We now intend to help other educational institutions in the country to set-up similar facilities to encourage entrepreneurship,” says Professor Milind Atrey, professor-in-charge, SINE.