TSIC Roots Growth Opportunities for 100 Student Innovators with the Telangana Innovation Yatra 2020
Hyderabad: TSIC that fosters innovation driven economy in Telangana, today announced the successful completion of the Telangana Innovation Yatra (TIY). The four days yatra concluded last week at T-Hub was routed through 33 districts of Telangana. The intent of the yatra was to showcase different innovations taking place at the grassroot levels that has the potential to solve real life challenges.
Out of the 500 applications received, TSIC and Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) shortlisted 100 participants from different colleges across Telangana. They were selected based on the innovativeness of the problem statements that they presented to TSIC and TSCHE. The Innovation Yatra successfully covered approximately 4000+ kilometers. TIY helped the participants to interact with rural entrepreneurs and closely understand the gamut of opportunities that is in store for them in the rural innovation ecosystem.
Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, IT Secretary, Government of Telangana, said, “Telangana Innovation Yatra is a movement to identify and nurture student-led innovations building our rural communities. In the months to come, our state infrastructure will enable them by providing required technical and product development support to commercialize innovations. I am very impressed with the Yatris’ ideas and abilities to take-on challenges presented to them”
The participants also called the yatris got an opportunity to witness various community engagement activities such as weaver community, farmer community, fisheries community, among others. They also did a walk for innovation at villages where they scouted and documented the problems, innovations and traditional practices of the rural areas. In addition, the yatris underwent rigorous training and design thinking workshops that enabled them to develop their ideas rapidly.
The key outcome of the Yatra was to enable and empower students to:
Introduction to the innovation ecosystem of Telangana
Innovative solutions to the problems identified
To identify 20 startup ideas that will be awarded, mentored and incubated in the later stages
Exposure to entrepreneurship and innovation across Telangana
Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, IT Secretary, Government of Telangana; T. Papi Reddy, Chairman, TSCHE; Rama Iyer, Chief Innovation Officer, T-Hub; Ajit Rangnekar, Director General at RICH and Durga Prasad, Founder at Gram Bazaar, announced the successful closure of TIY on 22 February at the valedictory function in T-Hub. Major Ecosystem partners for TIY include T-Hub, Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE), TS Tourism, Make Room India, Cognizant, Inqui-labs, SRIX, Eagle media works and OYO.