Somaiya Vidyavihar is all set to witness 100+ innovations from across the world at the 9th Edition of Maker Mela, powered by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, which is going to be held from 12th to 14th February 2024.
The flagship annual event of the Research Innovation Incubation Design Laboratory Foundation (riidl Somaiya Vidyavihar) provides a unique opportunity for grassroots makers, innovators, and creators to showcase their projects, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain exposure to a diverse audience.
From environmentally-friendly products to cancer care devices and handmade paper cutting, each category showcases a diverse array of innovations. Right from the oldest maker being Tetsuj Katsuda (Age: 60 years) from Japan building Buddy-kun, a robot that interacts to the youngest one being Anay and Abeer Ramakrishnan (Age: 9 years) creative digital interactive avatars using GenAI.
In addition to the innovative projects, the event witnessed the presence of Mr. Arjun Vaidya, Ventures Lead, Verlinvest as the Keynote Speaker during the inauguration ceremony.
Recognized for its commitment to sustainability, Maker Mela was honored with the “International Green Apple Environment Award” by The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Palace, London, in 2017. Sustainability continues to be a core of the event as a workshop is organized by ReDesign, The Circular Economy club on campus in collaboration with The Denim Project to upcycle old denims into useful products. To support this effort, a cart has been built by makers & designers from Somaiya Vidyavihar University exhibiting sustainable startups & makers.
Other planned activities include Makers’ Night as an ice-breaking session for the Makers, Pitching Session for potential investment opportunities & Networking activities for peer-to-peer learning & building long-term collaborations.
Mr. Gaurang Shetty, Chief Innovation Catalyst at riidl Somaiya Vidyavihar said, “this is not just an event, for the past 8 years, Maker Mela has served as a testament to the power of human creativity and ingenuity. Every project showcased holds the potential to make an impact not just locally, but also globally.”
Over the past 8 editions, Maker Mela has welcomed projects from over 850 makers across 25 countries. Notably, 350 makers have been featured on the Maker Mela community platform makermela.com, attracting an impressive viewership of around 104,000 from over 105 countries, including 1000+ cities globally.
About Maker Mela:
Maker Mela is Asia's Largest Platform for Makers and a premier event for grassroots innovators worldwide seeking a platform to showcase their projects to a broader audience.
riidl Somaiya Vidyavihar is a Technology Business Incubator and Innovation Centre supported by the Department of Science & Technology; BIRAC, Govt of India & MSInS, Govt of Maharashtra. In the past, Maker Mela has received support from esteemed associations like Startup India, Skill India, NYCS, and UNESCO. The event hosts a community of over 10,000 innovators globally, with at least 100 teams showcasing their innovations annually.
