Makerspace@AIC-ISB to Empower Innovation-Led Entrepreneurship in the Region

Mohali, Punjab: The launch of Makerspace at the Atal Incubation Centre at the Mohali campus of the Indian School of Business is a significant impetus to the startups and budding entrepreneurs in the region.

Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, inaugurated the facility today. ISB, in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, Govt. of India, designed the innovative and futuristic makerspace to hand-hold and mentor startups throughout their prototyping and product development journey.

Expressing delight over the launch, Dr. Chintan Vaishnav said, “Today, Chandigarh topped the 2021 India Innovation Index in the UT/City State Category. As the Atal Incubation Centre, ISB plays the important role of an ecosystem builder who convenes all stakeholders, this modern maker space will be a cherry on the icing that is the innovation ecosystem of Punjab." Makerspace@AIC-ISB offers AI and ML lab facilities such as human behaviour study software that enhance product efficiency and AR/VR testing headsets with dedicated performance zone to test in highly responsive environments.

Makerspace@AIC-ISB is based on a DIY philosophy and offers hands-on access to the most essential, exciting, and versatile maker space equipment: hand tools, laser cutters, 3D printers, a CNC router, and 3D scanners.

The inauguration of MakerSpace@AIC-ISB was a part of I-Connect@ISB, a day-long event that brought together a community of entrepreneurs, enablers, and ecosystem leaders at ISB. I-Connect@ISB also hosted a roundtable attended by senior leaders from the government, industry and academia on how to promote a robust and vibrant startup ecosystem in the country.

"Inculcating entrepreneurship is central to the Indian School of Business's approach towards business education. The School not only nurtures entrepreneurs but also handholds them to become established businesses in their field through various initiatives," said Prof BhagwanChowdhry, ​Faculty Director of I-Venture @ ISB, which fosters entrepreneurship and nurtures start-ups at ISB through various initiatives and programmes.

Located within the Indian School of Business, Mohali campus, AIC is a business accelerator empowering early-stage founders to build high-impact investable startups. AIC at ISB has incubated 60+ startups to date and sectors include- agri-tech, green energy, healthcare, and people mobility solutions. Further sector specific accelerator programs have been launched in the past for Social Impact, SaaS, women entrepreneurs etc.

ISB is taking various initiatives to help the startup ecosystem grow in the region. ISB has been a founding member of Startup Punjab hub at STPI in Mohali and, more recently, was involved in the ideation of the Innovation Mission Punjab, a government-led ecosystem enabler in the state. Of the 100 odd unicorns in India, 12 of them have ISB alumni as founders/co-founders.

About ISB The Indian School of Business (ISB) is a global business school offering world-class management education to professionals at its two LEED rated green building campuses – Hyderabad and Mohali. A vibrant pool of research-oriented resident faculty, robust academic partnerships, thriving alumni network, and backing of an influential board and guidance of industry’s thought leadership have enabled ISB to fast emerge and consolidate itself as a premier global business school in the emerging markets. The school is also one of the largest providers of executive education in Asia and the most research-productive Indian management institution. The School, over the last twenty years, has grown at a rapid pace and has earned several prestigious accolades. ISB is the youngest business school to consistently rank among the top global MBA programmes.