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India Today
4 days ago
- Business
- India Today
IIT Madras sets up school to boost startup culture, global innovation goals
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has taken a new step in its startup journey with the launch of its School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The aim is to build a strong system to support deep-tech startups and put the institute among the world's top entrepreneurial school was formally launched on August 4, 2025, on campus by Professor V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, along with faculty, startup founders, students, alumni, and industry partners. It will be led by Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal, a faculty member known for encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship at IIT SCHOOL TO GUIDE STUDENT STARTUPS AND DEEP-TECH VENTURESThe institute already supports over 475 startups through its Incubation Cell and other centres, with a combined value of more than Rs 50,000 crore. These startups have created over 11,000 jobs, filed 700+ patents, and attracted investment of around Rs 12,000 the new school, IIT Madras wants to bring structure to its efforts. The goal is to support aspiring entrepreneurs with regular academic programs, mentorship, and school will offer a Minor in Entrepreneurship, an MS (Entrepreneurship), and a PhD focused on innovation. It will also create a new program called 'Entrepreneur-in-Residence' to help working professionals who want to build make this work, the school will focus on key areas: teaching innovation through practical programs, creating startup-friendly policies, offering IP support, and helping student ideas grow into will also manage fellowships, business training, and mentoring support for students and Madras is not new to entrepreneurship. It already runs several initiatives like the Centre for Innovation (CFI), the pre-incubator Nirmaan, the Entrepreneurship Cell, and the Gopalakrishnan Deshpande these will now work more closely under the school's Kamakoti also shared that a Rs 200 crore alumni fund is being set up to support these startups. He said this fund will help convert research into market-ready Rajagopal stressed that building deep-tech startups is hard and needs long-term support. Through this school, IIT Madras wants to stand by its founders, from idea to this move, IIT Madras is not just helping startups grow but also reshaping how innovation is taught, supported, and scaled in academic spaces.- EndsMust Watch
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
BITS Pilani gets $1 million donation from alumni to establish new centre
The Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani) has received a donation of one million USD to establish Kakatiya Rural Innovation, Technology and Implementation (KRITI) Centre. The new centre is aimed at inspiring and enabling students and alumni to create meaningful social impact across India, a statement issued in this regard said. KRITI, meaning creation or work of significance in Sanskrit, will be a centre made possible by an endowment contribution of $1 million from BITS Pilani alumnus Raju Reddy and his wife Neerja Reddy. Both are accomplished change makers and deeply involved in rural development initiatives, the statement added. Raju Reddy is a visionary entrepreneur, angel investor, board member, and former Chairperson of BITSAA International. Phanindra Sama, former ceo and founder of redBus and an alumnus, is also helping shape the vision and strategy for the centre. He and Sarika, his wife will also join Raju & Neeraja as founding donors for the centre, it added. KRITI will expand BITS Pilani's engagement in the social impact sphere, building upon the legacy of successful alumni-led initiatives such as Sattva, Nirmaan, Thinkerbell Labs, and Ashoka Changemakers. By harnessing the creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of BITS students and alumni, the Centre will develop sustainable and scalable solutions to pressing rural and social challenges. 'The establishment of KRITI marks a pivotal moment in BITS Pilani's journey,' stated Prof. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani. 'It reinforces our unwavering commitment not only to academic excellence but also to nurturing socially responsible innovators who can transform the future of rural India. This Centre will serve as a vital launchpad for a new generation of change makers dedicated to building an inclusive growth . We are profoundly grateful to Neeraja and Raju Reddy for their visionary support; their commitment is a powerful testament to their belief in the ability of BITS students and alumni to drive meaningful change,' the Vice-Chancellor added. The Centre's core objectives include cultivating value-based leadership for social transformation, supporting the incubation of high-impact ventures, creating robust pathways for engagement with non-profits, social enterprises, grassroots innovators, and fostering empathy, volunteerism, and responsible citizenship. KRITI also aims to cultivate a vibrant community of faculty and alumni who will collaboratively develop and implement technology driven solutions for rural development.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BITS Pilani alumni Raju Reddy donates $1 million to establish Kakatiya Rural Innovation, Technology and Implementation Centre
BITS Pilani, an institute of eminence, has announced the establishment of the Kakatiya Rural Innovation, Technology and Implementation Centre (KRITI-Centre), aimed at enabling students and alumni to create meaningful social impact across India and beyond. This centre will be set up with the help of an endowment contribution of $1 million from BITS Pilani alumni Raju Reddy and his wife Neerja Reddy, both of whom are deeply involved in rural development initiatives. Raju Reddy is an entrepreneur, angel investor, board member, and former Chairperson of BITSAA International. The KRITI-Centre is poised to significantly expand BITS Pilani's engagement in the social impact sphere, building upon the legacy of successful alumni-led initiatives such as Sattva, Nirmaan, Thinkerbell Labs, and Ashoka Changemakers. By harnessing the creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of BITS students and alumni, the Centre will develop sustainable and scalable solutions to pressing rural and social challenges. "The establishment of the KRITI-Centre marks a pivotal moment in BITS Pilani's journey," said Prof. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani in a statement. "It reinforces our commitment not only to academic excellence but also to nurturing socially responsible innovators who can transform the future of rural India. This Centre will serve as a vital launchpad for a new generation of change makers dedicated to building an inclusive growth." Raju Reddy, Former Chairperson of BITSAA International, added, "The KRITI-Centre reflects our belief that innovation must serve those at the margins. Through this initiative, we hope to empower the BITS community to turn ideas into action and action into impact by addressing the real needs of rural community with empathy, creativity, and long-term commitment.' The Centre's core objectives include cultivating value-based leadership for social transformation, supporting the incubation of high-impact ventures, creating robust pathways for engagement with non-profits, social enterprises, grassroots innovators, and fostering empathy, volunteerism, and responsible citizenship. The KRITI-Centre also aims to cultivate a vibrant community of faculty and alumni who will collaboratively develop and implement technology driven solutions for rural development. To achieve these goals, the KRITI-Centre will initiate a comprehensive range of activities. These include launching a dedicated Rural and Social Impact Club across all BITS campuses, designing specialized incubation and acceleration programs for non-profit and social ventures, and organizing an annual national showcase of student-led social innovations. The Centre will also offer fellowships to cultivate a new cadre of rural and social impact leaders. Furthermore, it will integrate socially relevant projects into academic curricula, establish a central knowledge hub for the BITS community, and actively raise funds from alumni, corporates, and government bodies to support long-term, sustainable initiatives. The KRITI Centre will play a vital role in deploying BITS-developed technologies to address critical grassroots challenges.
