Panaji: The Goa state innovation council released its annual report 19-20 and has placed the report before the legislative assembly as required through the department of science and technology.
The councils Virtual Innovation Register has 320 ideas registering on its portal of which 43 were from established start ups which is suggestive of VIR’s success in reaching out to innovators and tapping their ideas.
During the year the council convened four meetings at its secretariat at Don Bosco college of engineering, Fatorda . Some of the important activities conducted by the Council included organizing a hackathon to identify the challenges faced in solid waste management and disposal. Solutions for disposal of tube lights , LED lights , sanitary pads etc were proposed at the hackathon.
A total of 19 ideas were proposed at this hackathon from students of various engineering colleges in the state . The report also highlights the achievements of the young innovators awards which drew a great response from schools throughout the state where more than 200 ideas were submitted and the winners proposed innovations in areas of Oil Spill removal , aquaculture , digital microscopes etc .
During the year the council organized around 20 boot camps for college students across the state and 1561 students attended these camps which focused on Technology , innovation and Entrepreneurship . The council also conducted 14 workshops across the state for school students on STEM education and more than 1000 students enrolled for these programs .
These workshops aimed at familiarizing students with technology at an early age . The council also conducted two orientation programs on innovation for headmasters and headmistress of schools in goa . These programs which were conducted one in each district was attend by 350 school heads. The council established a prototyping laboratory at Don Bosco college of engineering equipped with 3D printer and laser cutting machine besides other equipment for the benefit of innovators so that they may build prototypes of their ideas at the laboratory and later commercialize the product if successful .
The council also conducted , on a pilot basis a financial literacy workshop for students of class 8 for rural schools of goa and the program included topics like money management , entrepreneurship etc . The council also conducted programs on Risk Capital , industry institute interaction , IPR etc for the benefit of a large number of participants . The council received a total grant of Rs 30 lakh during the year towards payment of salary of its staff as well as for the conduct of these programs and setting up the prototyping laboratory .
