Aarambh Incubation Centre
The Aarambh Incubation Centre promotes entrepreneurial spirit using design thinking to devise innovative solutions for problems across domains. Aarambh helps young innovators prototype their ideas, get mentorship, interact with investors and government and non-government agencies, and create an enterprise.
Incubation Centre Details
- About Aarambh
- Objectives
- Pre Incubation
- Incubation
- Acceleration
- IPR
About Aarambh
Aarambh aims to promote the entrepreneurship culture in and around the campus by offering various platforms to budding entrepreneurs where they can experiment their business ideas, get mentorship from recognised entrepreneurs, interact with investors, government as well non-government agencies and create own organisation/enterprise.
Objectives
-
To inculcate the essence of entrepreneurship among students to recognise, pursue and sustain their dreams towards entrepreneurship
-
To learn from, and adapt global best practices
-
To inspire innovation by assisting the students to explore new ideas through innovative learning and driving them to defy assumptions and encourage experimentation
-
To provide an integrated approach that includes converting the idea into a feasible business proposition, connecting to the entrepreneurial network and assist in pitching the idea to the right audience
-
To imbibe the vision, confidence and knowledge to inspire greater performance and create a lasting impact on the society
Pre Incubation
Incubation
Acceleration
IPR
Aarambh Initiatives
- SSIP 2.0
- Institution Innovation Council
- MSME Host Institution Scheme
- Tinkering lab
- Handmade@ANANT
SSIP 2.0
Aarambh Incubation Centre has received support from the Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP), Government of Gujarat. The Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) 2.0 is the updated version of the SSIP 1.0 policy launched by the Government of Gujarat in January 2022. It provides funding assistance, mentorship, incubation and accelerator support to student startups, along with access to industry networks and global markets.
Institution Innovation Council
Anant National University has been recognised for the creation of ‘Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC)’ by the Ministry of Education, GoI. The key goal of setting up the IIC is to develop institutional mechanisms and capabilities for an entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus. To achieve these goals, Anant aims to adopt novel bottom-up and top-down collaborative models of innovation and startup ecosystems under the guidance of various experts.
The IIC Council is led by Professor Bhaskar Bhatt, Director, School of Design.
Refer to the complete list of members here
MSME Host Institution Scheme
The scheme provides an opportunity to develop and nurture new ideas for the production of new innovative products in various sectors.
Tinkering lab
The centre has set up a Tinkering lab for incubated startups and student innovators. The space is also open for entrepreneurs, innovators, designers, fabricators, students and enthusiasts.
Types of equipment: Laser cutting machines, 3D printers, zigsaw equipment, Arduino kits, soldering station
Convert your ideas into reality. Visit us or design your ideas at the Tinkering Lab by booking a slot below! To book a slot, write us at aarambh@anu.edu.in
Handmade@ANANT
Handmade@Anant, a pop-up store, showcases the artefacts developed by Anant students, staff, faculty and artisans in residence. Through this store, Anant seeks to instil appreciation for artisanal skills and techniques and encourage students and artisans to craft wonders together. It ensures that the tapestry of Indian heritage remains vibrantly alive. The pop-up store also brings together ideas, masterful craftsmanship and cultural influences that mirror the heritage of India’s vibrant art and design tradition.
Creating Impact
Rs 35 lakh Grant Disbursed
71 PoC/Prototype supported
25 Startups supported
120 IPR Filed
2 IPR and Technology Commercialisation Partners
2 Accelerator Partners
Achievements
- Students Entrepreneurs
- Incubation
Students Entrepreneurs
- Sidharth Bhardwaj, a Graduate of the class of 2020 with Product Design as major and minor in Health and Well Being, was awarded a grant of Rs 10 lakh for his startup from the Startup Srujan grant by the Department of Education GoG. Aarmabh provided him with Rs 1.5 lakh financial support.
- Rudradutt Unadkat, a Graduate of the class of 2020, with Transdisciplinary Design and minor in Moving Image, was awarded a grant of Rs 8 lakh for his startup from the Department of Education GoG schemes. Aarmabh provided him with Rs 2.5 lakh financial support.
- Riya Mulay, a Graduate of the class of 2020 with Product Design as major and minor in Health and Well Being, was selected for a grant by IIT Madras for her startup on low-cost prosthetics. Aarmabh provided her with Rs 2.5 lakh financial support.
- Chandraneel Sen, a Graduate of the class of 2020 with major in Product Design and minor in Visual Arts, and Krisha Lal, a major in Interaction Design and minor in Product Design, were selected for a grant of Rs 15 lakh from the Ministry of MSME, GoI. Aarmabh provided him with Rs 1.5 lakh financial support.
Incubation
- Received the award for Unique Designs from the IPR Controller General of India.
- Abhinaba Paul, a Graduate of the class of 2020 with a major in Communication Design and minor in Moving Image, and Kavya Patel, a Graduate of the class of 2020 with a major in Space Design and minor in Urban Design, secured 2nd position for the project ‘Dekho Bharat – VR’, a VR application for lost sites in India. The team competed alongside 2087 teams across Gujarat.
- Anant National University was awarded as one of the Top Three Universities in the Western Zone for Innovative Initiatives at the Institution Innovation Council (IIC) regional meet organised by the Ministry of Education Innovation Cell and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) on 18 August 2022.
- Anant National University Hackathon participants were invited to interact with Prof Louis Phee, VP, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, NTU, Singapore, at the Singapore India Dialogue held at IIT Gandhinagar.
- Anant National University was the Incubator Partner in the Bharat Pitchathon, a state-level startup pitching event conducted by Headstart Network Foundation. Other partners included the Government of Gujarat, i-Hub, Gujarat Venture Fund Limited, and HDFC SmartUP. Aarambh incubated start-ups exhibited their products.
Aarambh Incubation Centre Team
Dr Dhara Thakore
Head of Aarambh Incubation Centre and Office of Career Services
PhD, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
Dr Subhalaxmi Mohapatra
Associate Professor, Anant National University
PhD, Utkal University
Milind Chitale
Associate Professor, School of Design and Director, Makerspace
MDes, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Yuvarajsinh Zala
Chief Finance and Accounts Officer,
Head, HR and Administration
FCA, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
Prof Yash Pandya
Assistant Professor and Director, Projects, Grants and Funds, Aarambh Incubation Centre
Ms Dhaval Darjee
Incubation Manager, Aarambh Incubation Centre
Ms Sylvia Jimmy
Intern
Event Activities
Aarambh In the News
Innovator’s Testimonials
Aarmabh really helped me take my project to the next level. I got funding for further development and IPR filing. Aarambh also helped me bring my idea into the real world and educated me on the IPR filing procedure, which was really beneficial. I would like to thank my mentors for constantly encouraging me to continue developing my project when, after a few failed attempts, I thought of giving up. Anant National University has helped me develop my ideas by giving access to infrastructure and technologies.
What is the material of most of the headphones you see in the market? Plastic. Ecoustic was an attempt to create a sustainable set of headphones, experimenting with materials. Ecoustic headphones are made using bamboo and have been designed for comfort and good sound quality. This project was merely a concept. However, the Anant faculty and the Aarambh Incubation Centre helped me create the prototype of my product.
Team Papaya is a firm with a mission to make menstruation environmentally sustainable and empowering for menstruators. We are a team of 6 menstruators who decided to take action. We first began working with Anant National University as part of their EIR (Entrepreneur in Residence) programme and then collaborated with Aarambh Incubation Centre to take advantage of their industry expertise and mentorship to finish developing our environmentally friendly sanitary napkins. The excellent facilities at Aarambh and Anant National University helped us immensely to make our brand launch ready. Our group is spread across the globe, but the support of Anant National University’s faculty and staff and Aarambh’s facilities allowed us to come together and operate effectively as a team.
The funding granted by SSIP through Aarambh was immensely helpful in creating a prototype of my idea. It gave me access to materials, data and expertise, without which giving shape to my idea would have been really challenging. The workshops concerning IP rights helped me understand the best way to protect my work, and I was aided in this by the legal team and I want to thank them all for their support. My mentor, Prof Nishita Kedia, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, has been an incredible guide throughout this process, advising me on multiple occasions of the best course of action. The facilities at Anant National University were critical in prototyping. I am grateful for the support from SSIP, Aarambh Incubation Centre and Anant National University in bringing my ideas to life.
I am thankful to Aarambh and SSIP, who provided me with the required funds to convert my idea into reality. Thanks to their support, I was able to create a novel product that can help people save from fatal mishaps like cardiac arrest. The support helped me get proper mentorship and different vital resources for my project. I also visited different industries and workshops that added value to my learning. All this exposure helped me gain deeper insights about how things work in the real world, giving me a better understanding of product development.
The SSIP Grant enabled me to learn about the ground realities of creating a prototype. Aarambh Incubation Centre supported us throughout the process and has been a constant companion in our journey. My mentors, Prof Aditi Vashist, Assistant Professor, School of Design and Prof Vijay Sekhon, Associate Professor and Lead, Interaction Design, School of Design, gave input on the concept development, interaction and minor details that shaped the project. They were available at all times for discussions. As for the facilities- Makerspace, webinars and sessions on IPR have been helpful in a lot of ways.
Team Kagaaz is grateful for all the help we have received through the Grant. This boosted us to work harder. The confidence that Aarambh instilled in us inspired us to go beyond paper-making, leading us to create a diverse range of products, including bags, boxes and cards. We thank Aarambh Incubation Centre for the endless support and Makerspace for providing us with the space and support to develop our products. We will always be grateful to our mentor, Prof Risha Roy, Associate Professor and Lead, Sustainable Fashion and Textile Design, School of Design, who has given us a fresh perspective on our projects during every discussion we have had with her.
I received a Grant from the Aarambh Incubation Centre at Anant National University through the Ideas Contest hosted by the university along with SSIP. As an architect and design professional, I have always looked for opportunities that can help me give life to my ideas. Since I won the Grant through Aarambh, I was not only able to progress with the idea of creating educational toys but also got to understand the process. The mentors at Anant supported us in every possible way. We were introduced to more grant options, technicals of IPRs and expert knowledge for our ideas at Anant. Since I got access to the Grant, my project has progressed immensely. Today, I have implemented at least 3 stages of design development through accelerated prototyping and I am exploring material testing options as well. I would like to extend my gratitude for the opportunity and would be elated if I can keep progressing with the project in the coming future.
The Aarambh Incubation Centre helped me with seed funding for my idea. There was ease in accessing the mentors, especially Dr Dhara Thakore, Head of Aarambh Incubation Centre and Office of Career Services, who inspired me in pushing my project forward. I would also like to thank Prof Vijay Sekhon, Associate Professor and Lead, Interaction Design, School of Design and Ms Dhaval Darjee, Incubation Manager, for their contribution to my project, helping me with research, connections, etc.
The SSIP Grant has helped us bring our dream of using single-use plastic to create art products into reality through constant mentorship, support and constructive feedback. Through the constant mentorship of Prof Milind Chitale, Associate Professor, School of Design and Director, Makerspace and all the other experts that he referred us to, we were able to finalise a process of plastic collection, converting it into pellets and then processing them to make sheets. We then used these sheets to create a variety of art products like coasters and puzzles. In the preliminary stage, we experimented with the sheets, which would not have been possible without the support from Makerspace and the assistance we received there. Furthermore, the Grant also held sessions regarding copyright and other important legal aspects related to a product. We will be forever grateful for the Grant and the mentorship that came with it.
