New Delhi, Feb17: The Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Prof. T.G. Sitharam, officially launched the second edition of the “Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship (IDE) Bootcamp” Phase II. The IDE Bootcamp is a key initiative envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The event, hosted by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) and AICTE, aims to foster innovation, design expertise, and entrepreneurial skills among student innovators across India.
While launching the event, Prof. T.G. Sitharam, in his address, described the bootcamp as a “Festival of Innovation and Design Thinking,” emphasizing the importance of productization for India’s development. He urged participants to embrace design thinking as a core tool for product development and innovation. Prof. Sitharam also shared details about the upcoming AICTE Productization Fellowship, which will help foster a culture of productization. He stressed the need to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into research and innovation, noting that AI will revolutionize the way we work. He commended the Wadhwani Foundation for its significant role in scaling the bootcamp across the country.
Dr. Abhay Jere, Vice Chairman and CIO of AICTE, highlighted the significance of the bootcamps as part of a broader celebration of design week, as envisioned by the Prime Minister. He emphasized that AICTE and MIC are committed to offering programs that encourage and enable students to pursue innovative ideas. Dr. Jere also shared the success of the UDYAMTOSAV- 2025, where over 300 startups pitched their ideas to more than 100 investors across India.
The IDE Bootcamp initiative, which began in June 2023, has already seen substantial success, with 34 bootcamps conducted over the past year, engaging over 7,000 student innovators and faculty mentors. These bootcamps have equipped participants with the necessary skills to develop innovative products and startups. The Phase II edition of the bootcamp aims to engage over 3,000 student innovators and Innovation Ambassadors from higher education institutions across India, including students from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh under the Special Scholarship Scheme. The bootcamp will run from 17th to 21st February 2025, offering participants an immersive, five-day experience focused on innovation, design, and entrepreneurship. Mr. Mitul Patel and Mr. Rajeev Warrior from Wadhwani foundation also participated in the central inaugural of IDE bootcamps.
This year’s curriculum includes modules on Design Thinking for Entrepreneurs, Business Model Canvassing, Prototype Development, Financial Literacy for Entrepreneurs, Technology Commercialization, Intellectual Property (IP), and Startup Funding, among others. Participants will also receive guidance on how to effectively pitch their ideas to potential investors and partners.
