Somaiya School of Design, supported by Riidl News & Events ,Vidya Vihar, Mumbai

riidl TBI Invites Applications From Aspiring Entrepreneurs And Innovators For Nidhi Prayas Grant & Nidhi EIR Fellowship

February 14, 2022: The Research Innovation Incubation Design Laboratories (riidl), a not-for-profit organisation run by the Somaiya Trust and supported by NSTEDB, the Department of Science and Technology, the Government of India, BIRAC, the Government of India, MSInS, the Government of Maharashtra, and Somaiya Vidyavihar University, is encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs and budding innovators to pursue entrepreneurship and providing funding opportunities through NIDHI PRAYAS and NIDHI EIR.

PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Technology Entrepreneurs) is a DST-NIDHI initiative designed to help young inventors develop their ideas into proof of concept. This assistance will enable innovators to test their ideas without fear of failure, allowing them to progress to the point where they have a ready product and are ready to approach incubators for commercialisation.

The NIDHI PRAYAS Grant will be awarded for a period of 12-18 months and will be worth up to INR 10 lakhs each startup/ innovator. The deadline to apply is February 20, 2022.

Eligibility: Hardware Startups on the idea stage and want to develop a prototype

The Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR) Programme of the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) is one of the programmes introduced under NIDHI to inspire the best talents to be entrepreneurs, to minimise the risk involved in pursuing startups, and to partially offset their opportunity costs of high-paying jobs. A fellowship will be offered to graduate students who want to pursue entrepreneurship.

The NIDHI EIR Fellowship will pay INR 30,000 per month to each student innovator for a period of 12 months. The deadline to apply is February 22, 2022.

Eligibility: The NIDHI EIR plan is open to students who have finished a four-year bachelor's degree in Science or Engineering or a three-year certificate in Science or Engineering combined with two years of full-time work experience.

RIIDL Academy Renamed As Somaiya School Of Design

October 14, 2021: RIIDL Academy, a four-year full-time bachelor's degree program in design that began earlier this year, has been renamed the Somaiya School of Design, supported by RIIDL. The programme is a constituent college of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, and it is financed by RIIDL. The undergraduate programme was created to promote Design, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation among its students, instructors, staff, alumni, and community members.

The Somaiya School of Design, which is supported by RIIDL, offers a programme for young, active people who want to improve their Product Design talents while also practicing Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This programme encourages participants to interact directly with the real world in order to increase awareness and empathy, as well as to identify the world's most pressing issues. With a heavy focus on User Experience, Business viability, and Sustainability, the Design thinking-based curriculum will empower students to design physical/tangible products or screen-based products. We began the program in August 2021 with our first group of students, who are being mentored by the best in the field. The curriculum at Somaiya School of Design will allow students to take charge of their own learning in a collaborative atmosphere with 'Real Impact' learning outcomes.

Through Design challenges, internships, and actual projects, this innovative program aims to blend classroom sessions with a strong focus on industry knowledge.

Highlights of the programme

• Design Thinking based evolving curriculum with 4 foundational pillars - Design, Technology, Business, and Humanities
• Experiential learning - Real Design challenges, International exchange programs, Strategic partnerships and internships
• Strong focus on attributes of product design: Functionality, Aesthetics, and Sustainability
• Diverse Faculty from across the globe - experts who are passionate about teaching
• Soft skills coach to help students build Confidence, Creativity and Communication skills
• World-class Laboratories to build prototypes and special grants to support Innovation
• Thriving Design and Innovation communities on campus to stay connected & inspired

Somaiya School of Design, in line with RIIDL's philosophy, seeks to provide its students and young innovators with the required skills and knowledge to craft a professional path of their choosing, marked by cutting-edge innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and real-world problem-solving.