- With Record-Breaking Participation, the 8th Edition Showcases Innovative Solutions in Mobility, Sustainability, and Tech while Strengthening Industry-Academia Collaboration
- The winners of this year’s competition were awarded prizes totaling more than INR 19 lakhs
TECHgium®, India’s largest innovation platform for engineering students, hosted by L&T Technology Services Limited (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), marked the remarkable conclusion of its eighth edition on Friday.
Celebrating groundbreaking engineering talent, this year’s event broke records with over 39,000 registrations from over 560 engineering institutes across India, a nearly six-fold growth since its inception in 2016. With new innovations in Mobility Sustainability, and Tech segments, TECHgium® has solidified its role as both a hub for innovation and a bridge between academia and industry.
Graced by the presence of Prof. Dr. T. G. Sitharam, Chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), as Chief Guest, and Shri Vikas Purohit, CEO of New Business Ventures at Bennett, Coleman & Co., Ltd., as Guest of Honor, the event showcased an exhilarating blend of technical ingenuity and real-world problem-solving. Both guests emphasized the critical need to cultivate innovation for shaping the future of engineering and sustaining global competitiveness.
Since its launch, TECHgium® has focused on nurturing future-ready engineering talent through immersive exposure to cutting-edge challenges and industry collaboration. The 8th Edition’s finalists demonstrated unmatched creativity and practical impact through efficiency improvement, sustainability integration, and advanced AI-driven solutions. Finalists also earned the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and academicians to present their ideas on a prominent platform like TECHgium®. Combined, the winners took home prizes totaling more than INR 19 lakhs.
Details:
- Winners: Team from Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College, Coimbatore, for their revolutionary project on a Mini-Propelled Underwater Autonomous Robot.
- Runner-up: Students from Fr. C. Rodrigues Institute of Technology, Navi Mumbai, for their project, WindGrid AI: Intelligent Site Selection for Efficient Wind Power Generation.
- Second Runner-up: Students from B V Raju Institute of Technology, Telangana, for their project on Enhanced Battery Management Using Digital Twin Technology.
- Special Jury Prize: Team from Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Erode, for their project on AI-powered Video Moderation.
These stellar advancements spanned applications like AI-powered energy management, autonomous inspection technology, precision healthcare solutions, blockchain-based e-waste tracking, and robotic hexapod for wind turbine screw tightening. Their work reflects a new standard of applied engineering excellence and industry relevance.
Over nine rigorous months, participants collaborated closely with LTTS’ technical and subject matter experts, undergoing ideation sessions to develop PoC, which tackle industry-specific challenges. From an initial pool of over 4,600 concepts, 36 exceptional teams advanced to the grand finale, where their prototypes were evaluated by a distinguished panel of industry leaders, academicians, and analysts.
Prof. Dr. T. G. Sitharam, Chief Guest and Chairman of AICTE, lauded LTTS’ role in nurturing the next generation of talented students, stating, “The evolution of TECHgium® has been impressive. The passion and ingenuity displayed by young engineers at this year’s TECHgium® are a testament to India’s growing leadership in technological advancements. Bridging the gap between academia and industry is vital, and platforms like these serve as the bedrock for fostering innovation that addresses real-world demands.”
Shri Vikas Purohit, Guest of Honor and CEO of New Business Ventures at Bennett, Coleman & Co., Ltd., remarked, “TECHgium® showcases the immense potential of India’s engineering talent. By pairing bright minds with insightful mentorship, initiatives like this inspire bold solutions to some of our era’s greatest challenges. LTTS has set a benchmark in cultivating a culture of excellence.”
Abhishek Sinha, Executive Director & President – Medical, Smart World & Functions, L&T Technology Services, highlighted, “At LTTS, innovation is not just a process but a purpose. Through TECHgium® which has evolved to become India’s largest ER&D focused hackathon we empower the brightest young minds to confront complex engineering challenges with creativity and precision. This year’s record-breaking participation reinforces our commitment to driving impactful industry-academia collaboration.”
Over the years, student presentations at TECHgium® have evolved from merely discussing ideas to showcasing practical products. TECHgium® now enables students to present end-to-end product designs, seamlessly integrating both software and hardware components.