This occasion coincides with the Centenary Celebration of our revered founder of Vivekanand Education Society, Karmayogi Late Shri. Hashuji Advani. To honor his inspiration, enduring legacy, visionary leadership, and strong value systems, the Vivekanand Education Society is organizing a series of meaningful academic and cultural initiatives under the theme “Gen Z for Nation Building.” The inauguration of this Tinkerer’s Lab stands as a true reflection of that spirit, empowering young minds to innovate, create, and contribute meaningfully to society.

Dr. (Mrs.) J. M. Nair, Principal, Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Technology (VESIT). “At VESIT, we see engineering as an act of curiosity in motion. The Tinkerers’ Lab creates a culture where students are encouraged to question assumptions, dismantle ideas, rebuild them, and discover solutions that are both inventive and responsible.”

Chief Guest Shri. Anil Bhatia, Vice President and Managing Director, Emerson Automation Solutions, said, “In today’s landscape, technical knowledge alone is not a differentiator. What truly sets future engineers apart is their ability to experiment without hesitation. Platforms like this lab cultivate that confidence, which is essential for leadership in modern industry.”

Gautam Khanna, President & CEO, Maker Bhavan Foundation, said, “Engineering talent flourishes when students are trusted with real tools and real challenges. When students are given the autonomy to experiment, the responsibility to execute, and the space to learn from iteration, they develop not just technical competence, but professional maturity that stays with them long after graduation.”

The lab creates a dynamic place where students can freely experiment, build prototypes by applying their theoretical knowledge practically, and engage across disciplines. This will help them develop both engineering expertise and an entrepreneurial mindset to tackle real- world problems. Through partnership with Maker Bhavan Foundation, VESIT is cultivating a robust culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, producing engineers equipped for tomorrow’s dynamic tech landscape.

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Mr. Vijay Talreja, Director – HABIT Foundation and Trustee, VES, welcomed the audience and stated that HABITia represents the core spirit and vision of the foundation. He highlighted HABITia as a dynamic platform where young minds, budding entrepreneurs, and early-stage founders come together to present their ideas, refine them through mentorship, and gain experiential learning that prepares them for real-world entrepreneurial journeys. The Chief Guest, Mr. R. Ramanan, Chair of the National Expert Advisory Council, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and former Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission and Additional Secretary at NITI Aayog, delivered a highly insightful keynote emphasizing the importance of platforms like the HABIT Foundation and its incubator in transforming curiosity into ideas, ideas into prototypes, and prototypes into scalable and impactful solutions. The Guest of Honour, Dr. Ramjee Pallela, Senior Consultant at ISBA and former Chief Operating Officer of AIC-CCMB, underscored the importance of research-backed entrepreneurship, strong mentorship, and ecosystem support in building scalable startups.

The inaugural session concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Jyoti Chandwani, Nodal Officer, HABIT Foundation and Professor, VESIM who reaffirmed the foundation’s long-term commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets and providing sustained incubation support to promising student-led startups.

A key highlight of HABITia’ 25 was the panel discussion titled “BTS – Behind the Startup”, which focused on real-world startup challenges, founder mindset, scalability, technology-led growth, and the evolving role of venture capital in early-stage ventures. The panel featured Mr. Shantiprakash (SP) Motwani, former Managing Director, Accenture Technology, who highlighted that while technology has seen multiple waves, the current era is unprecedented due to the convergence of transformative technologies, data, exponential computing power, and innovative systems. Mr. Ranjeet Shetye, Venture Partner, YourNest Venture Capital, emphasized that curiosity, continuous learning, and the courage to challenge the status quo are essential leadership qualities for entrepreneurs. Mr. Zubin Kika, Executive Vice President – Technology and Digital, HDFC Bank, stated that while Generative AI and agentic AI are powerful tools for rapid prototyping and innovation, strong core concepts and engineering fundamentals remain critical for building scalable and sustainable businesses. Mr. Deepak Nihalani, Co-Founder at Snapwork Technologies and Epoch Technologies, shared insights on building technology-driven enterprises with a strong customer-first approach, emphasizing execution excellence, adaptability, and the importance of solving real business problems through scalable digital solutions. The session was moderated by Mr. Amit Rambhia, Managing Director, Panache DigiLife Ltd.

Following with the competition, Innovate to Incubate – The Startup Challenge, The judging panel comprised seasoned investors, incubator heads, and industry leaders, including Mr. Bhavesh Kothari- Chief Executive Officer, MSSU I-SPARK Foundation, Mr. Nikhil Gupta- Investor, Startup Accelerator & AIF Manager, Dr. Vijay Bijlani- Founder Director, SAO Foods, Mr. Jaideep Pawar- Founder Director & CEO, GRAMePAY, Mr. Alok Ranjan- CEO and Co-founder Tauran Advisors, Mr. Chintan Oza- Founder and Managing Partner, Anantam Ecosystems, and Mr. Abhimanyu Anil Londhe- Co–Founder, Abhi Incubation Fund. Out of 156 teams that applied, 64 advanced to the second round after initial screening. Following detailed pitch presentations in both online and offline formats, nine teams qualified for the final round, where seven teams pitched offline and two online.

The winners of the challenge were rewarded with attractive cash prizes along with exclusive incubation opportunities at the HABIT Foundation, complemented by certificates of achievement. Melacure Pvt. Ltd., a skincare innovation brand from Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Pharmacy, Mumbai, emerged as the winner. The first runner-up was Indiejeanous, a Mumbai-based sustainable upcycled denim brand, while the second runner-up position was secured by Maceazy – E-Kaathi, a solution empowering visually impaired individuals with confident mobility, developed by students from Chetana Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai.

HABITia’ 25 concluded on a high note, reinforcing Vivekanand Education Society’s commitment to nurturing student entrepreneurship and innovation. The conclave successfully created a vibrant ecosystem where ideas met mentorship, innovation met opportunity, and aspiring entrepreneurs took confident steps toward building impactful, future-ready startups.

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