Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC)
Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology established the Institutions Innovation Council (IIC) during the year 2018. The IIC has paved the way for creating a start-up ecosystem in the Institution. During the academic 2020 – 2021, IIC of SKCET was awarded with the highest rating of 4 stars for organizing events as per the direction given by Innovation Cell of AICTE.
Previously, during the academic year 2019-2020, IIC of SKCET attained 5 star ratings with top spot in annual IIC ranking by organizing more than 400 events pertaining to Innovation, IPR and Entrepreneurship. The Institution has organised Smart India Hackathon for four consecutive years since 2017. During 2021, the institution organized Toycathon – software version.
The start-up initiatives of the Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Higher Education paved the way for securing the second spot in ARIIA 2020 and fourth spot in ARIIA 2021 ranking under the private self-financing Institutions category. Moreover, an Innovation and Start-up Policy document was also released recently to motivate the young entrepreneurs of the Institution. The innovation Cell of MHE has done a commendable job in promoting the innovation and start-up culture among all Higher Education Institutions. The faculty members also completed Innovation Ambassador Training series for both Advanced and foundation level. The faculty members who completed Innovation Ambassador training delivered various seminars to students and faculty members of various institutions to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and start –ups.
Faculty members of SKCET also attended the IIC regional meet happened on August 2022 at Sathyabama University, Chennai. The poster highlighting the achievements of IIC of SKCET was awarded with ‘Best Performer Award’. The IIC Convenor of SKCET Dr. P. AshokaVarthanan, delivered an invited talk on ‘NISP Implementation at PSNA Engineering College, Dindigul on 8th Aug, 2022. IIC of SKCET also mentored KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, DJ Academy of Managerial Excellence, Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Velammal Engineering College, Sri Krishna Adithya College of Arts Science on organizing events prescribed by IIC. IIC of SKCET have referred 5 institutions for becoming IIC member and 5 ATAL schools have accepted to be mentored by IIC of SKCET.
IIC upcoming events for quarter 3 & 4
| S.No | Name of the Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Workshop on Prototype/Process Design and Development. |
| 2 | Session/ Workshop on Business Model Canvas (BMC) |
| 3 | Field/Exposure Visit to Incubation Unit/Patent Facilitation Centre/TechnologyTransfer Centre such as Atal Incubation Centre etc. |
| 4 | Session on “How to plan for Start-up and legal & Ethical Steps” |
| 5 | Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and IP management for start up |
| 6 | Organize an Inter/Intra Institutional Business Plan Competition and RewardBest Innovations - Manage through YUKTI-NIR |
| 7 | Mentoring Event: Demo Day/Exhibition/Poster Presentation of Business Plans& linkage with Innovation Ambassadors/Experts for Mentorship Support -Manage through YUKTI-NIR |
| 8 | Session on Innovation/Prototype Validation – Converting Innovation into aStart-up or Session on Achieving “Value Proposition Fit” & “Business Fit” |
| 9 | Session on Accelerators/Incubation - Opportunities for Students & Faculties -Early Stage Entrepreneurs |
| 10 | Organize Session on “Lean Start-up & Minimum Viable Product/Business”-Boot Camp (or) Mentoring Session |
| 11 | Session on Angel Investment/VC Funding Opportunity for Early StageEntrepreneurs. |
| 12 | Session/ Panel discussion with innovation and Start-up Ecosystem Enablers from the region/state/national level |
| 13 | Organizing Innovation & Entrepreneurship Outreach Program in Schools/Community |
| 14 | Organise an Inter/Intra Institutional Start-up Competition and Reward BestStart-ups - Manage through YUKTI-NIR |
| 15 | Mentoring Event: Demo Day/Exhibition/Poster Presentation of Start-Ups &Linkage with Innovation Ambassadors/Experts for Mentorship Support - Manage through YUKTI-NIR |
AICTE–IDEA Lab at Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology (SKCET)
Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology (SKCET) has been selected as one of the prestigious institutions across India for establishing the AICTE–IDEA (Idea Development, Evaluation, and Application) Lab. The AICTE–IDEA Lab is a dedicated facility aimed at transforming innovative ideas into functional prototypes under one roof, encompassing ideation, design, evaluation, fabrication, and application.
The SKCET AICTE–IDEA Lab is equipped with state-of-the-art, industry-grade infrastructure to support ideation, design, prototyping, and product realization. The lab houses major fabrication and prototyping equipment, including:
- CNC turning and lathe–milling machines
- CNC wood router
- Laser cutting and engraving system
- PCB milling machine
- Vinyl cutter
- FDM 3D printers
- 3D scanners
- Dedicated computer workstations for design, simulation, and control
Overall, more than 3000 sq. ft. of dedicated space is utilized to facilitate hands-on learning, innovation, and startup-oriented product development in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) and Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives.
By effectively leveraging the institute’s existing advanced infrastructure along with the dedicated facilities of the AICTE–IDEA Lab, the lab actively supports a wide range of technical and innovation-driven activities, including:
- Skill development and hands-on training programs
- Incubation and startup support
- Product ideation
- Prototype design and development
- Sample fabrication
- Technology demonstrations
The AICTE–IDEA Lab also serves as a hub for workshops, training programs, and conferences for students, faculty, school students, and industry professionals, thereby fostering a strong ecosystem of innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry–academia collaboration.
The SKCET AICTE–IDEA Lab is committed to providing 24×7 access and training to students, enabling continuous learning, experimentation, and innovation beyond conventional classroom hours.
The lab strongly emphasizes multidisciplinary integration, breaking traditional academic silos by facilitating cross-departmental projects through shared infrastructure and collaborative initiatives. IDEA Lab activities are seamlessly embedded into the academic curriculum to enhance experiential and hands-on learning, while strong industry partnerships are cultivated to evolve the lab into a Center of Excellence for innovation, product development, and real-world problem solving.
Through these initiatives, the SKCET AICTE–IDEA Lab aspires to serve society and the nation by nurturing graduates who are skilled critical thinkers, innovative designers, effective problem solvers, and collaborative team players.
Vision
To nurture a vibrant innovation ecosystem in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) and promote a self-reliant society (Atmanirbhar Bharat) by inculcating the culture of product development and innovation among students and faculty.
Mission
- To transform innovative ideas into viable products through a structured design and development process
- To provide hands-on learning using cutting-edge technologies that enhance practical and entrepreneurial skills
- To foster strong industry and startup collaborations for technology transfer and real-world impact
- To build a highly skilled workforce through certification and training programs in association with reputed agencies
Objectives
To provide hands-on, multidisciplinary learning for transforming ideas into prototypes
To promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup culture among students and faculty
To strengthen industry–academia collaboration through real-world problem solving
To enhance technical skills and employability through training programs, certifications, and FDPs
To develop socially relevant technological solutions aligned with NEP and Atmanirbhar Bharat
SKCET AICTE IDEA Lab Team
Dr. K. Porkumaran, AICTE IDEA Lab Chief Mentor, principal@skcet.ac.in
Dr. P. Ashoka Varthanan, AICTE IDEA Lab coordinator, ashokavarthanan@skcet.ac.in
Dr. R. Soundararajan, AICTE IDEA Lab co-coordinator, soundararajan@skcet.ac.in
Dr. V. P. Srinivasan, AICTE IDEA Lab co-coordinator, srinivasanvp@skcet.ac.in
Dr. A. Sathishkumar,AICTE IDEA Lab Tech Guru & AP/MECH, sathishkumara@skcet.ac.in
Mr. N. Ramachandran,AICTE IDEA Lab Tech Guru & AP/MECH, ramachandrann@skcet.ac.in
Dr. J R Dineshkumar,AICTE IDEA Lab Tech Guru & AP/ECE dineshkumarjr@skcet.ac.in
Dr. P. Vinoth Kumar,AICTE IDEA Lab Tech Guru & ASP/EEE, vinothkumarp@skcet.ac.in
Idea Lab Activities
The Design Thinking and IDEA Lab course was included in Regulation 2025 for all First-Year students (I & II Semester) on 12 August 2025.
Photos: IDEA Lab projects demonstrated by our students to Dr. K. Porkumaran and Dr. P. Ashoka Varthanan, in the presence of faculty members, on 17th December 2025.
