IPTIF
It is known as IIT Palakkad Technology IHub Foundation (IPTIF) and is a Section 8 company established by IIT Palakkad with Rs 100 crore support from the Department of Science and Technology of Government of India.

The main aim of i-Skill of IPTIF is to empower the youth of the country with adequate skills to enable their employment in technological sectors, to improve productivity, and capacity building to prepare them for the evolving Cyber-Physical Systems technologies.

Unique aspects
Dr. Albert Sunny, Director of IPTIF and Project Director at TIH ICS spoke about the unique aspects of i-Skill initiative.

With the evolution of Cyber-Physical Systems technologies globally, India requires interdisciplinary knowledge resources to develop cross-cutting fusion technology resources, said Dr. Albert.

In this context, IPTIF is taking the initiative to prepare the country to solve important problems through technological advances by introducing a pan India initiative aimed at competent resources with a diploma or higher to develop technical skills, said Director.

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As part of this initiative, Skill Development Ready Centers (i-SDRC) of IPTIF will be established in Engineering, Arts and Science Colleges besides Industrial Training Institutes across all districts of India to offer state-of-the-art multidisciplinary training and capacity building programs for next-generation technocrats, engineers, and scientists.

To become an i-SDRC, one can send apply through this link ‘https://tinyurl.com/i-SDRC’

With the evolution of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) technologies globally, India requires people with interdisciplinary knowledge in software and hardware development, he said.

‘In this context, IPTIF aims to equip the country’s workforce to meet the demands of the upcoming technological revolution in CPS.’

We also explore and generate equal opportunity to acquire technology-based skills among rural youth and Bridging the digital divide, said General Manager.

Bootcamp
As the inaugural program of the i-Skill initiative. IPTIF is glad to launch a bootcamp on Python for Data Science curated and mentored by Dr Satyajit Das, Assistant Professor, IIT Palakkad.

Python is a world-widely accepted programming language known for its versatility. Hence, it is widely used today in almost every industry, especially in the scientific realm for web development, machine learning, data science, AI, astronomy, robotics, neuroscience, pharmacology, business to name a few.

Python is a fast-growing programming language that is easy to work with and integrate systems more effectively. In addition, it’s extremely scalable and great for prototyping. Most of the world’s largest companies today, such as Google, Netflix, Amazon, and Quora operate on Python.

This boot camp will be covered in 12 hours over a weekend. The training material will include video, audio, PowerPoint presentations and reading materials, among others.

The Python for Data Science course consists of four modules which include context from basics of Python to Data visualization. The course aims to impart substantial knowledge on Python and how to use it effectively for Data Science.

Indian citizen currently residing in India can apply for the camp. Applicants should have graduated 12th/PUC. Preference will be given to those who have completed ITI/Diploma.

For more information, the website of IPTIF can be visited at ‘https://iptif.tech/’ Candidates can send email to ‘office@iptif.tech’ or call on 9188952064.

To register for this boot camp visit https://iptif.tech/IPTIF-B-2021-001. This boot camp will be available only in offline mode at Skill Development Ready Centers (i-SDRC). Upon successful completion, a course completion certificate will be issued by IIT Palakkad Technology IHub Foundation.

The second thrust area of it is Human Resource Development, which includes upskilling job seekers and giving UG and PhD fellowships through open calls in order to improve employability and enable Make-in-India efforts. The third component of it is the development of the startup ecosystem.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has collaborated with z21 Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm operated by its alumni. The z21 venture capital firm founded by IIT Kharagpur alumni will invest a total of Rs 2.5 crore in this partnership. The institute mentioned in a statement on Friday that the preliminary investment per team in this collaboration will be Rs 25 lakh.

As a result, IIT Kharagpur and z21 Ventures are joining hands to start an innovative program to provide final-year students with the necessary support and resources to create a successful startup.

The accelerator is created to leverage exceptional talent from IIT Kharagpur, turning ambitious ideas into market-ready startups. It will provide participants with unparalleled access to mentorship, funding, and premium resources. Centred on developing technological, scalable solutions to global challenges, the program will combine the latest research capabilities by IIT Kharagpur with the investment success cultivated by z21 Ventures to empower student entrepreneurs to make lasting, transformative changes.

• Mentorship: Direct guidance from successful entrepreneurs, industry experts, and venture capitalists.
• Seed Funding: Access to early-stage funding opportunities to ignite their ventures.
• Workshops and Training: Tailored sessions on business-building necessary features, including business development, product-market fit, fundraising, and scaling operations.
• Networking: Opportunities to connect with a wide network of investors, successful entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders, that promote partnership and business development.

The accelerator is designed to tap into the immense talent pool at KGP and translate bold ideas into marketable ventures. It offers a platform with unmatched access to mentorship, funding, and top-tier resources for participants. The focus of this program would be on building technical, scalable solutions to global challenges by leveraging IIT Kharagpur’s cutting-edge research along with proven investments in z21 Ventures. This is meant to empower student entrepreneurs to change the world.

First cohort and the structure of the program

The accelerator program will accept up to 10 teams in the first cohort. Throughout the program, these teams will continue to receive mentoring, strategic guidance, and seed funding in efforts to develop their ideas into products. Participants will also tap into the extensive network of z21 Ventures’ industry experts, successful entrepreneurs, and experienced advisors dedicated to guiding them toward market success. Critical infrastructure support would also be offered by IIT Kharagpur even after graduation to ease the transition from idea development to execution.

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“Start-up Accelerator Program with z21 Ventures, founded by our esteemed IIT alumni, to launch the ‘KGP Forge Entrepreneur’ is a structured accelerator program created to teach the students about company building, basic company finance and company law, fundraising etc. It is a significant step toward empowering our BTech, MTech, and PhD students. This collaboration aims to provide budding entrepreneurs with mentorship, resources, financial support and professional networks sufficient to convert their ideas into successful startups”, said V K Tewari, Director, of IIT Kharagpur. KGP alumni can also participate in this transformative program, in case they collaborate with current KGP students on their founding teams.

Conclusion

The IIT Kharagpur and z21 Ventures collaboration marks a transformative step in advancing student entrepreneurship. With its first cohort set to support up to 10 teams, this accelerator program gives aspiring entrepreneurs a solid platform from which they can turn innovative ideas into impactful startups. Combining cutting-edge research from IIT Kharagpur with investment expertise from z21 Ventures, this initiative will focus on scalable solutions to global challenges. This is done through mentorship, funding, and comprehensive resources to equip the participants to make meaningful contributions and lay the foundation for generations yet to come of trailblazing innovators.