IIT-K-SAIL MoU
Kanpur, July 26. The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the public sector Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) for collaboration in research, development, and consultancy projects.
“This collaboration with SAIL marks a significant step in advancing IIT-Kanpur’s engagement with industry. We also propose to strengthen R&D for technology innovation in the steel industry through promotion of an s.8 (non-for-profit) company with the steel ministry’s support. This will leverage our inherent strengths in digital technologies, modeling and simulation, to address critical challenges faced by the country in the steel sector,” said Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT-Kanpur, after the signing ceremony.
Added Amarendu Prakash, chairman of SAIL: “SAIL will be the first customer for products developed by start-ups incubated at IIT-Kanpur.”
Youth Ideathon 2024
New Delhi, July 24. ThinkStartup and the Management Entrepreneurship Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) of the Union ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship together with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) launched the 4th edition of Youth Ideathon (YI24). This innovation and entrepreneurship festival for schools intends to harness the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of youth across India.
The theme of YI24 is ‘iStartup a Good Thing for India’. This is a five-stage competition that will be held online. It is open to all school students countrywide in two categories: Junior (classes IV-VIII) and Senior (classes IX-XII). Students will compete in teams of 3-5 members from each participating school. YI24 will culminate in a grand finale on October 6. In 2023, Youth Ideathon attracted over 1.5 lakh students from 8,000 schools. This year, over 2 lakh students from 10,000 schools are expected to participate.
“If you have to build future job-creators, you have to catch them young, harness their creativity and introduce them to the power of innovation and entrepreneurship. Youth Ideathon endeavours to empower the next generation nurturing high-potential student ideas with incubation support,” said Shivani Singh-Kapoor, co-founder, ThinkStartup, speaking on the occasion.
Scaler School scholarships
Bengaluru, July 25. The Bengaluru-based Scaler School of Technology (SST) announced full scholarships valued at Rs.15 crore to 100 high school students who topped the recently concluded Indian National Mathematics Olympiad 2024 for enrolment in SST’s undergraduate programme in software development. Moreover SST will waive the entire admissions process for the Top 100 students, permitting them easy access to learning experiences at SST.
“A serious incentive mechanism is needed to motivate more of our bright students to prepare seriously for globally reputed contests. We are doing our bit by empowering the Top 100 students in India to not only get direct admission into the Scaler School of Technology, but also providing them a 100 percent scholarship. I sincerely hope India climbs the ladder of globally prestigious contests, and attains #1 rank in the next few years,” said Abhimanyu Saxena, co-founder, SST.
HCL-upGrad partnership
Mumbai, July 22. The Noida-based HCLTech Ltd (annual revenue: Rs.1.1 lakh crore) announced its partnership with upGrad Enterprise, the corporate skilling and workforce development division of Mumbai-based skilling major upGrad.
Under the partnership, the two companies will curate world-class content and learning experiences for working professionals and corporations from around the world. The partnership will focus on developing and launching programs in Generative AI and allied technologies. HCLTech and upGrad Enterprise will also launch a Data Science and AI Academy of Excellence.
“By combining our edtech programs with upGrad Enterprise’s university-led skilling courses/certifications, we are set to jointly offer clients and learners a world-class learning experience, complete with high-quality study material and practical, real-world industry experiences, facilitating quicker application of skills in professional roles,” said Srimathi Shivashankar, Corporate Vice President and Global Head (EdTech Business) of HCLTech, speaking on the occasion.
FedEx-Magic Bus agreement
Hyderabad, July 15. FedEx Express, a subsidiary of the US-based FedEx Corp, the well-known express transportation megacorp, has teamed with Magic Bus India Foundation, to address digital skills gap and employability challenges in India. Under an agreement, Magic Bus will upskill 400 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students, with priority given to female graduates from underserved communities in Hyderabad.
An intensive 75-day curriculum has been designed to upskill selected youth in cloud computing and allied technologies, delivered together with life and employability skills. “This collaboration marks a significant step in developing a future-ready workforce. By also equipping them with life and employability skills, we aim to empower them on their journey towards economic independence,” says Jayant Rastogi, Global CEO, Magic Bus India Foundation.
