InnovateTN

Why Do Startups Fail? How Significant is the Forge Innovation Handbook? These were the key questions posed to Mr. Arun Suresh from Forge as he engaged with students, addressing their queries about the ProtoSem program as they began developing prototypes to solve real-world challenges. Students were eager to learn how to overcome adaptive barriers, craft a strong value proposition, empathize with customers, validate problems, and navigate the startup ecosystem. Discussions also covered topics like customer discovery, market access, and funding. Arun offered an in-depth look into the Forge Innovation Handbook, providing valuable insights on how to effectively use the framework and diagnostic tools to thrive as entrepreneurs. His guidance illustrated that the handbook is more than just a resource—it’s a roadmap for startup success, helping future innovators avoid common pitfalls and navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship. With the right tools and knowledge, students left with a clear strategy and newfound confidence to approach their startup ventures. #innovation #technology #entrepreneur #engineers Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Kumaraguru College of Technology | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Ratheesh Krishnan / Rats | SPI EDGE | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sarveswaran S |

At Growth Labs, we believe in the power of small, consistent wins to create lasting transformation. Through hands-on learning, we empower students to adopt practical tools they can apply in everyday situations, strengthening their ability to make strategic decisions. Students honed essential skills like critical thinking, creativity, and productivity—equipping them for real-world challenges. By fostering self-awareness, this program helps participants align their actions with their core values and long-term goals. Growth Labs is more than just knowledge acquisition—it’s about cultivating clarity, purpose, and a renewed sense of determination. We equip students to take action on their ambitions with confidence and build meaningful connections that fuel their growth. The journey is just beginning, and we’re excited to share more impactful experiences soon. Stay tuned! #innovation #technology #entrepreneur #engineers Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Kumaraguru College of Technology | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Ratheesh Krishnan / Rats | SPI EDGE | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sarveswaran S |

Day 2 of Growth Labs: The Day of Instruments On Day 2, participants explored the essence of a growth mindset, learning how to harness their thoughts and cultivate a positive, happiness-oriented outlook through a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection. By adopting a structured approach to goal-setting and achieving their dreams, the session also fostered an environment of introspection, collaboration, and trust. Engaging hands-on activities and thoughtful discussions made this day a truly transformative experience. #innovation #technology #entrepreneur #engineers Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Kumaraguru College of Technology | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Ratheesh Krishnan / Rats | SPI EDGE | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sarveswaran S

🌟 Journey of Growth and Innovation! 🌟 At Growth Lab, students are not just encouraged to dream; they are empowered to take actionable steps toward achieving those dreams. A group of 85 Graduate Innovation Engineers came together to challenge themselves, push their boundaries, and transform aspirations into tangible outcomes. Day 1: The Day of Dreams - focused on systems thinking, highlighting the importance of learning through experience, personal growth, the connection between body, mind, and energy, and a framework for daily growth through self-awareness. Through immersive activities and thoughtful reflection, they uncovered a powerful truth: "You don’t get what you desire; you get what you deserve." This realization has set the tone for their journey, inspiring them to align their daily actions with long-term goals and helping them pave the way toward meaningful success. #innovation #technology #entrepreneur #engineers Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Kumaraguru College of Technology | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya| Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Ratheesh Krishnan / Rats | SPI EDGE | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan| Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sarveswaran S

In partnership with TAHDCO, Forge offered TAHDCO Innovation Fellowship Grant for 88 students across Tamil Nadu that offered them scholarship admission to ProtoSem, our Innovation Fellowship program designed to ignite prototyping activity among students from engineering colleges. ProtoSem aims to nurture a strong pipeline of problem-solvers, innovators, and future enterprise builders. In our state-of-the-art Forge.Labs, this program accelerates innovation capacity in individuals through skills and competencies enhancement across technology, design, innovation, business planning, and enterprise creation. The ultimate goal, rapidly design and develop prototypes that solve real-world problems, deliver compelling value, and become commercially viable solutions. Recently, we had the honour of showcasing ProtoSem at the launch of Thoduvaanam, an inspiring TAHDCO initiative focused on raising awareness about higher education and job opportunities for Adi Dravidar & Tribal communities. Our Graduate Innovation Engineers, sponsored by TAHDCO, presented their hardware innovations to an esteemed officials, Tmt. N. Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, Minister for Adi Dravidar & Tribal Welfare, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Tmt. Lakshmi Priya, I.A.S., Secretary-Govt. of TN - Adi Dravidar & Tribal Welfare, Thiru. U. Mathivanan, Chairman-TAHDCO, Thiru. K. S. Kandasamy, I.A.S., MD-TAHDCO, Thiru. Kranthi Kumar Pati, I.A.S., District Collector-Coimbatore, Tmt. R. Ranganayaki, Mayor-Coimbatore, Thiru. N. Srinivasan, GM-Planning-TAHDCO. Our commitment for the future is to continue driving innovation and creating opportunities for the next generation of problem-solvers. With the momentum gained from this initiative, we are focused on taking these innovations to the next level—pushing boundaries, scaling impactful solutions, and empowering talent to turn bold ideas into commercially viable enterprises. Together, we will forge a future where real-world problems are met with cutting-edge solutions and entrepreneurial leadership. Stay tuned as we continue empowering the next generation of innovators! 🚀 #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #ProtoSem #FutureTalent #TAHDCO #Forge Forge Innovation & Ventures | Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell - MIC | StartupTN | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) | FaMeTN | TAHDCO | Government College of Engineering, Srirangam | Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli | Government College of Engineering Salem | Government College of Engineering, Bargur | Government College of Engineering Dharmapuri | PMC Tech Engineering College | Sri Sai Ram Institute of Technology (Sairam Group of Institutions) | RMK College of Engineering & Technology | SVCT- Sri Venkateswaraa College of Technology | Ratheesh Krishnan / Rats | DoLabs | SPI EDGE | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan |

🌟 Insightful Session with Industry Expert! 🌟 Our Graduate Innovation Engineers had the privilege of being visited by Mr. Ravi Bala, Chief Growth Officer at HealthSignals, LLC. In this insightful session, Mr. Bala explained why even the best business ideas can fail to connect with the market and shared strategies for identifying market gaps to develop innovative solutions that truly make an impact. He also provided invaluable advice on the path to becoming a successful tech entrepreneur, stressing the importance of learning from feedback, embracing failure as a stepping stone, and maintaining a mindset of continuous learning. This session offered a wealth of knowledge for our students, marking an essential step in their journey to solving real-world challenges and driving innovation. #innovation #technology #entrepreneur #engineers Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Kumaraguru College of Technology | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sarveswaran S

We are thrilled to announce the commencement of ProtoSem 1.14, a transformative 20-week Graduate Innovation Engineer Certification designed to redefine engineering education with an innovation-first approach. This immersive program equips students with the skills and competencies needed to design, develop, and deploy real-world solutions in collaboration with industry partners. Throughout this journey, students evolve into highly employable professionals—or even future tech entrepreneurs. Orientation Day Highlights: Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera, delivered an inspiring address, providing a deep dive into ProtoSem’s objectives and how it bridges the gap between traditional education and real-world innovation. During the interactive Q&A, students had their questions answered and gained a clearer understanding of their path to becoming Innovation Engineers. The day was filled with thought-provoking activities, encouraging students to reflect on their personal goals and aspirations. These exercises not only reignited their passion for innovation but also motivated them to take ownership of their future. We are excited to see these budding innovators master emerging technologies and drive meaningful innovations, bringing their visions to life! #innovation #technology #protoSem #LifeatprotoSem Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Kumaraguru College of Technology | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sarveswaran S

InnovateTN.Salem The final day of the Innovation Mentor Program kicked off with a deep dive into "Target Market Planning & Opportunity Sizing," equipping educators with the knowledge to identify and seize market opportunities effectively. This was followed by an insightful session on "How to Build a Successful Technology Venture?" where participants were introduced to the Forge Venture Rubric (FVR). A dynamic pitch clinic session provided best practices for delivering compelling presentations. Armed with these insights, educators showcased their innovative ideas to a distinguished jury panel, including Geetha S., Assistant Professor at Knowledge Institute of Technology (KIOT), Gurushankar Selvam, Project Lead at StartupTN, industry experts Manikandan Subramani, Founder of SM ENGINEERS, and Dr. Rajasekar Madhavan, Founder & CEO of PCI. The program concluded with an inspiring valedictory session, graced by Dr. R. Brindha Devi, I.A.S, District Collector of Salem. She shared her own college experiences and encouraged participants to impart their newfound knowledge to their students. The event ended on a high note with the distribution of certificates to all participants. Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Government College of Engineering Salem | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sanjay Govindhan | SABAREESH G |

InnovateTN.Salem Day 4 of the InnovateTN.Salem Innovation Mentor Program delved into the intricacies of product management, equipping educators with the essential tools and strategies to guide their students effectively. Participants explored the key stages of the product lifecycle, from ideation to launch, focusing on market validation, product-market fit, and the importance of a customer-centric approach. Hands-on workshops allowed participants to set up PMA Dashboards and refine their product pitches, ensuring a practical understanding of product management processes. The day concluded with a session on Innovation Practicum, emphasizing the integration of innovation into teaching-learning pedagogy. With these newfound skills, educators are now better prepared to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in their institutions. By guiding students through the product development process and equipping them with essential product management tools, educators can empower their students to transform ideas into market-ready products. This program is a significant step towards building a robust innovation ecosystem across Tamil Nadu. By nurturing a new generation of innovative thinkers and leaders, the InnovateTN.Salem Innovation Mentor Program is paving the way for a brighter future for the region Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Government College of Engineering Salem | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sanjay Govindhan | SABAREESH G |

InnovateTN.Salem Day 3 of the Innovation Mentor Program was a day packed with hands-on learning and practical experiments. Participants showcased their refined ideas & solution concepts in the "High-Value Pitch" session, highlighting their value propositions & demonstrating their ability to articulate their ideas effectively Mr. Vigneshwaran K, a Zoho Consultant, led an engaging session on "Software Prototyping Tools & Techniques," introducing participants to the world of front-end application development. The session covered essential tools, methodologies, and best practices for creating functional and user-friendly prototypes The focus then shifted to "MUP Concept Generation," where educators learned the art of creating Minimum Usable Prototypes (MUPs). MUPs are essential for validating product ideas early in the development process and gathering feedback from potential users. Participants learned how to identify core features, prioritize functionalities &create low-fidelity prototypes that capture the essence of their ideas Practical workshops on "Mechanical Prototyping" and "Electronics Prototyping" provided participants with hands-on experience in prototyping & electronics basics. These sessions equipped educators with the skills needed to create physical models of their product concepts and test their functionality Our participants' continued enthusiasm & engagement are a testament to the program's success. With the knowledge and skills gained on Day 3, participants are well-equipped to bring their innovative concepts to life & make a meaningful impact Forge Innovation & Ventures | StartupTN | Government of Tamil Nadu | Naan Mudhalvan - TNSDC | AICTE | Guidance Tamil Nadu | Government College of Engineering Salem | Sivarajah Ramanathan | Innocent Divya | Vish Sahasranamam | Dr. B.L.Lakshmi Meera | Dr. Mahesh Veezhinathan | Deepak N. | Charath Chander Natarajan | Sanjay Govindhan | SABAREESH G |