INCUBATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CELL

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SCSVMV Incubation Centre

(400 Words)

Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya (SCSVMV), Kanchipuram  has a vibrant eco system for innovations including incubation. The University has an incubation centre to support students and faculty members for converting their innovtive ideas into startups with faculty members from each Department to co-ordinate the innovation and startup activities. This incubator was started in the year 2019 and supported by the University.  

The incubation centre at SCSVMV provides office space, access to institute  infrastructure, supports funding or research assistance consultancy, mentorship support for students and early stage entrepreneurs.  The centre has developed an innovation and startup policy for its students and faculty members. The innovation and startup policy of the incubation centre includes the following key features.

• Promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Build and nurture an innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Support creation of technology driven, IP centric startups in the focus areas, working closely with the industry, government agencies and nearby colleges.

The following are the various activities carried out by the centre.

• Lean Startup / New Product Development 
• Innovation Competitions / Hackathons 
• Session by Alumni Entrepreneurs, Startup Founders and Experts and Training Programme
• SEED Funding to Students and Faculty Members
• Innovation and Startup Policy 
• Incubation, Mentorship and Access to infrastructure

Some of the long-term focus areas for the incubator include Agriculture, Healthcare, Clean Energy and Low Carbon Technologies, Transportation, Smart Materials, Aerospace, along with horizontal technologies such as Aritificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Robotics and Drones. The following projects were carried out by the incubation centre in the last two years.

• Solar Trike
• Solar Bike

1. Solar Trike:

Solar Trike is a solar operated  three wheel drive which can be operated with solar power with regenerative braking system. A 24V battery is getting charged from solar PV – Cell, which can pull the vehicle at a speed of 25 km/Hr. With regenerative braking system, the batteries are getting charged from the braking energy of the vehicle. This project was designed and developed by inter-department Students of the university. This interdisciplinary project was funded by university and shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Solar Trike

2. Solar Bike:

This project was designed and developed by UG Students of Department of Electrical Engineering to run the normal bike with solar energy. The PV –Cell convert the solar energy to voltaic energy which can be stored in 24V cell that will drive the two wheeler at a speed 25 km/Hr. For a single charge, the sun light exposure is  6 Hours, the vehicle will run for  50 Km per hour. This project is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Solar Bike

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Receipt of Applications through Website and Media advertisement
Evaluating the Incubatees through informal interviews and discussion about the proposed project
Identifying the significance of their proposed Projects
Homework done by the incubate for the proposed project
Economic and Technical feasibilities of the proposed projects
Marketability of the product

ENTRY EXIT POLICY: INTRODUCTION:
 

SCSVMV is committed to create the Centers of Excellence in Engineering, Technology and Management education having relevance to industrial and societal needs. Various policies are framed considering systems, processes and procedures followed in the Institute to ensure the inclusive growth of all the stakeholders associated with the Institute and to “Stay Ahead”.

OBJECTIVE :

The main objectives of the incubate entry/exit policy are to
(1) Have a standardized procedure for the induction of new incubate to TBI.
(2) List all the potential sources / channels of entry to TBI as tenants
(3) Optimize the idea evaluation carried out before incubate induction
(4) Make it uniform the procedure of incubate registration to TBI
(5) Have rules and regulations in place for incubate exit from TBI

SCOPE:

The scope of incubate entry/exit policy covers all the prospective incubation candidates, pre-Incubatees, student, alumni and public incubate (physical and virtual) including existing firms interested in incubating spin-off ideas.

MANDATORY REFERENCES:

The incubate entry/exit policy shall confirm to the guidelines of the National Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), DST, New Delhi (in terms of incubation programme, incubation process, time scales, services rendered by TBI etc)

POLICY CONTENTS:

Any Individual / group of people (students or general public or mix of the two) can initially propose an idea (to TBI) with prime features as mentioned below
(a) Innovativeness
(b) Commercial viability
(c) Technical feasibility
(d) Social sensibility
(e) Scalability
(f) Capacity to trigger market traction
(g) Energy saving / green tech intervention / value addition / low costalternative (in existing product / process based ideas)

TBI accepts ideas which are from diverse domains of science, technology and engineering. Being in a Tier III town and surrounded by hamlets rich in natural resources, preference will be given to ideas making use of such untapped / less exploited natural resources and for ideas aiming to find solutions that can improve the life and living conditions of the rural folk.
In a few exceptional cases (if the prospective incubate desires so) after considering the credentials pertaining to commitment, attitude and track record, the proposed incubate (on the recommendation of the Idea Screening Committee) may be given access to in-house developed basket-of-technologies (concept proved), to choose one suitable technology based idea and go ahead with business building. Ideas screening committee (ISC: TBI Principal Scientist, TBI manager, one technical expert and one business expert) can evaluate the idea and induct the promoter/s as tenant incubate.
TBI will organize Idea fest series (Annual Event for BIT Students) and/ or Idea fair (For general public / alumni / students from other campuses) as startup idea screening event(s) either on its own or in collaboration with one or more event partners. Shortlisted finalists from idea fair and /or idea fest series are one of the major sources for incubate in TBI Students or general public, who could register an idea as a pre-incubation lead to TBI, can opt for proof-of-concept and beyond. They (if such idea leads are proven as positive) can register as incubate firm/s with the approval of ISC. Potential future startup promoter/s recommended through BIT- Business club or campus E-Cell or innovation lab can register their idea / s for incubation via ISC of TBI
Registration is provided to all the tenant incubate /firms upon submitting the following
PAN/Aadhar card
• Executive summary of the idea
• Permanent address proof
• Two references
• Company incorporation certificate, if any
• Filled-in application with passport size photograph of promoters
• Signed agreement (between incubate & incubator) indicating incubate agreeing to abide by the rules and regulations to be adhered to by incubate while they exist as tenant firms / virtual incubate
The regular incubate registration fee is Rs.5000 (One-time payment) for availing TBI services (Networking, Mentoring, Capacity building, Tech development initiatives, Imparting business, Facilitation, advisory/ legal aspects etc.)
Physical incubate firms intending to avail office cubicles will have to remit Rs.1500 for every 3 months as rental fee.
Incubatees will be charged for specialized services such as equipment usage charges while technology development / validation or business support service charges (such charges are pre-fixed, nominal and mostly are on hourly basis)
Registered tenant companies will be permitted to exit from TBI when they fulfill one or more than one of the following criteria
When the incubate /tenant firm reaching twenty four months for IT, EEE, ICT, Electronics and Instrumentation, Food technology, Social entrepreneurs etc., based incubated companies. Three years for biotechnology, agriculture and manufacturing based incubated companies.
Under performance / not reaching business milestones /unfavorable existence etc., would force TBI management to review continuance of the tenant on case-to-case basis.
When the sales annual turnover of the company exceeds 50 Lakhs or when the company profit before interest and tax exceeds 25 Lakhs annually.
Raising handsome investments from secondary funding sources (Angel, VC etc.) Rs. 50 Lakhs or more.
When the number of employees of the registered firm exceeds 15 members.

ADVISORY BOARD AND REVIEW MECHANISM:

Board of Governors of SCSVMV-TBI (BoG, appointed by the Annual General Meeting) (comprise of one academician, two industrialists, two industry association members, one bank / angel person, two government representatives and one R&D person) shall review the implementation of policy at least once in a year to ensure the compliance of policy and implementation of guidelines stated in the policy. Committee is also empowered to make suggestions for revision of the policy to the Committee responsible for framing this policy.

APPROVAL PROCEDURE OF POLICY:

Incubatee entry / exit policy of SCSVMV -TBI shall be approved by the AGM of BIT-TBI; any revisions that arise subsequently shall be reviewed as said above and forwarded to AGM through Member Secretary of the Council for amendments of the policy. On approval of the amendments, revised policy shall be published and circulated to all members appropriately.

ROLE OF INCUBATORS:

Idea scouting so that a number of people in the region, campus, and whoever approaches TBI with or for ideas get opportunity for working on technical ideas nurtured by them

Idea screening : Of all the ideas reached TBI, only viable, unique and novel ideas are being picked up for further processing (commercialization possibility & aptitude of the innovator also verified during this screening). Social impact ideas are also considered positively.

Idea implementing: Technical supports, consultancy etc done to ensure idea implementation started working for the tenants. Hardware/ Machinery / Software are being provided wherever there is provision (based on the focal area of the incubation centre) to the tenant Incubatees so that they started making the working models. Business plan clarity brought in. IPR process helped.

Prototyping: In the next phase prospective start-ups realize prototypes for their idea utilizing facilities & networking contacts they could avail with (and even beyond) TBI incubation.

Validation stage: Prototype validation done with TBI help (testing, certifications, improvement possibilities etc probed for the model) Networking, technical facilitation could be given by TBI through its contacts. Ideal stage for early stage business consultancy via TBI.

Seed fund: Wherever there is announced schemes (domain specific) suiting idea development assistance is available, Incubatees are helped with grants (from govt; a few lakh / per scrutinized idea as specified in the grant regulations). In all these cases TBI will be supervising the project implementations and report to ministries the progress & utilization of funds. Angel funds could be explored of incubatee is comfortable and/ or if the special scheme or campus venture sort of schemes spearheaded by them are very attractive and friendly.

Networking, mentoring etc: TBIs will be having resourceful people who can help the Incubatees in tackling the early stage growth associated pain points. These experts help Incubatees based on requirements in points mentioned above (from 1 to 6). Graduated successful Incubatees also help newcomers to TBI.

Building an innovation ecosystem: An innovation pipeline has to be established through TBI efforts so that there is always ideas flowing in automatically and lot of people around who are sensitized to idea commercialization and innovation potentials.

Training: Public and students are trained on entrepreneurship principles especially as a career option. Skill imparting sessions, faculty development sessions and other awareness sessions are being conducted through TBI for empowering various stakeholders.

Beyond Prototype: In the next stage of prototype to product, tenant companies can be helped by TBI in the form of (a) technical inputs wherever required, (b) facilitation for improvements through networking, (c) additional testing through networking (d) mentors to help

Product realization: TBI intends to take tenets through various special platforms at this stage (i.e. after prototype) like fitting competitions, expos, demo days, boot camp, accelerator programmes, pitch fests, award platforms etc so that they come to limelight. People should appreciate the efforts. With such recognition, incubatee companies can opt for secondary stage funds. Without rewards getting funds will be pretty difficult as reputation counts here. Awards or recognition indicate the judgment by a panel of experts. Basing on these recognition, lenders of secondary funds realize the niche customers for that specific product and they provide funds.

Test marketing: Incubatees taken to expos, dealer interactions, niche customer feedback & interpretations etc. TBI supports company registration.

Branding and Publicity: Once product is ready, TBI can guide Incubatees for go-to-market funding possibility provided the Incubatees are having merits in their B-plan and during their growth and transformation as a company owning a product now, they have achieved a few recognition. Market strategy can be guided & fine-tuned. TBI helps incubatee tenants to register as start-up, in regulatory certifications, to get to export readiness etc.

Basic infrastructure: during the early phase of company, TBI can be used by tenants as their office. Space, furniture, network facility etc are being given to the Incubatees during the period of incubatee working through points mentioned above (from 1 to 13).

Scale up and Graduation: The Incubatees at this stage think of reaching out maximum customers and TBI can facilitate through networking. Final stage business consultancy could be provided so that the start-up will be in the sustained business club with its characteristic growth & expansion plans. Tenants will be on their own. They can, in turn, mentor the new crop of innovators up on request from the TBI as per their availability for the same. Firms can opt for VC connectivity, equity listing etc.

Societal Commitment: TBIs have to continuously and actively partake in knowledge creation, value creation & wealth creation leading to more sustained business thereby more employment, contribution to GDP and nation building.
List of Current Incubation:
1. Automatic Kitchen Monitoring System
2. Efficient Class Room Management System with Real time data
3. Tertiary effluent treatment from dyeing industry
4. Electric Vehicle with thermo charging

List of TBI Projects:
1. Solar Vehicle
2. Solar Trike
3. Hybrid Vehicle
4. Vidyut Vahana
5. Lose kilograms and Gain Kilowatts
6. Gas Leakage detection and control system
7. Bio metric authentication for automobiles
8. Automatic Plant Irrigation system