Industrial Visit to AIC NITTE Incubation Centre, Nitte – 21 October 2025

The Department of Mechanical Engineering, in association with the Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC) and the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), organized an industrial visit to AIC NITTE Incubation Centre, Nitte, on 21 October 2025.

AIC NITTE is one of the prestigious ATAL Incubation Centres established under the ATAL Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, Government of India. The centre acts as a hub for nurturing startups in sectors such as healthcare, biotechnology, agritech, IT, and manufacturing, offering comprehensive support in the form of workspace, mentorship, technical assistance, and funding opportunities.

During the visit, students explored the key facilities at the incubation centre:

Co-working Spaces: Modern, collaborative work environments equipped with high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and flexible desk setups that foster innovation and teamwork.

Fabrication and Prototyping Lab: A well-equipped lab featuring 3D printers, CNC machines, and electronic prototyping tools, enabling startups to design and test product prototypes before commercialization.

Innovation and Research Labs: Specialized laboratories supporting research in biotechnology, IoT, and healthcare technologies, promoting collaboration among researchers, students, and entrepreneurs.

Startup Display Area: A dedicated exhibition space showcasing innovative products and prototypes developed by incubated startups, highlighting the diversity of ventures supported by the centre.

An interactive session was also organized with the Centre Manager and startup founders, who shared valuable insights on the challenges of startup development, the importance of mentorship and networking, and funding opportunities through government schemes and investors. They also emphasized the vital role of AIC NITTE in bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Key Learnings:

Incubation centres play a pivotal role in transforming innovative ideas into successful business ventures.

Mentorship and infrastructure are fundamental to startup success.

Collaboration among students, academia, and industry fuels innovation.

AIC NITTE provides an ideal ecosystem for nurturing young entrepreneurs.

The visit proved to be highly informative and inspiring, offering students valuable exposure to the startup ecosystem and entrepreneurial processes. It encouraged them to think creatively and explore entrepreneurship as a promising career path.

Students of the 3rd Year Mechanical Engineering Department actively participated in the visit, which was coordinated by Dr. Bharath K. Bhat, Departmental EDC/IIC Coordinator.