Kanpur, U.P. SIIC IIT Kanpur launched the REC Innovation Platform with support from the Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (RECL) in March 2021. The program, with an objective to promote young innovators, is operational in select 21 Government Institutes in Uttar Pradesh. The first round of registration received more than 3,000 applications state-wide. SIIC is working with the administration, faculty members, and students at the colleges and universities under the program with an aim to develop the ethos of entrepreneurship and expose young talent to learning beyond classrooms.

The first RAT exam saw about 1,000 applicants appearing for the test. Due to an overwhelming response from those who failed to attend the exam for various reasons, the REC Innovation Platform team has opened a final call for them and is also accepting new applications. The window for the same will be open from 4 PM to 5.30 PM, 20th May 2021. Interested students can visit http://www.reclip.siicincubator.com/ to apply.

The platform's objective is to nurture participation among students and empower them to go beyond the classroom concepts to deliver practical, implementable solutions embedded in technology. The project team will shortlist 30 projects for advanced mentoring, among which the top five will receive financial support for the prototype development. Under the current phase graciously supported by the CSR fund of REC Limited, the SIIC team has conducted eight virtual orientation sessions with faculty members and students. The sessions were held from 18th February to 25th March 2021. The SIIC team visited each selected institute to conduct a workshop with faculty and leadership from these Institutes. Mr Rahul Patel, Mr Dinesh Kumar Pal, and Dr Anil Kumar Singh Bankoti were present from the SIIC team during the sessions.

Commenting on the need for nurturing an aptitude for innovation, Dr Nikhil Agarwal, CEO, SIIC IIT Kanpur, shared, “Engineering colleges in India see an exceptional influx of talent each year. However, most of those passionate about pursuing the road to entrepreneurship often get bogged down by fear of failure, unavailability of resources to grow, and lack of mentorship support. Through the REC Innovation Platform, we aim to fill these gaps towards fostering the culture of innovation and problem-solving among students.”

About REC Foundation

The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (RECL) is a Navratna company under the Ministry of Power. A leading non-banking financial company (NBFC), REC is present across the entire power sector value chain, including Generation, Transmission, Distribution or Renewable Energy. The company is poised to help build a sound infrastructure to provide affordable, accessible, and sustainable power.

REC Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of RECL, operates as a responsible entity mindful of its social responsibilities to all stakeholders including consumers, shareholders, employees, local community, and society at large. The programs under the Foundation contribute towards inclusive growth and equitable development in the society, through empowerment of the marginalised and underprivileged sections and communities. Its key focus sectors include skill development and education, poverty, healthcare, supporting technology incubators, and rural development.

About Start-up Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur

Start-ups and social enterprises are widely regarded as the key to addressing developmental challenges, especially in emerging economies such as India. With pathbreaking innovation brewing at incubator start-ups, SIIC IIT Kanpur aims to create impact at the bottom of the pyramid. Established in the year 2000, Start-up Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur, is one of the oldest technology business incubators with many successes under its belt. The multifaceted, vibrant incubation ecosystem nurtured over two decades aims to fill all the gaps on the road to convert an idea into a business. SIIC has developed the experience base and ecosystem that become critical ingredients in developing early-stage, technology-focused start-ups disrupting paradigms across the domains such as agriculture, healthcare, aerospace, energy, water, and education.

Website:
SIIC IIT Kanpur: http://www.reclip.siicincubator.com/