“When a crisis is at its deepest, it can offer a huge opportunity. When things fall apart, we can redesign, recast, and rebuild.”

― Prof Muhammad Yunus 

Since February 2020, the world is reeling under the devastation in the wake of COVID-19.  The pandemic has also created opportunities for us to reset old ways and reinvent how we organize our resources and talent to solve for the world – right from better healthcare models, to remote working facilities and from online learning models to cost-effective innovations solving present challenges. Context-rich innovations is the way forward! 

i2E LAB:  Innovation to Entrepreneurship LAB

Together with Telengana Innovation Cell, India’s leading innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, we, Make Room India, bring you the i2E Lab: Innovation to Entrepreneurship Lab, a three month virtual Pre-Incubation Program.

i2E Lab is designed to enable youth entrepreneurship, with a special focus on students and recent graduates to kick-start their entrepreneurship journey. i2E Lab will facilitate as a platform to experiment with ideas, learn by doing and turn those ideas into viable products.

In the next three months, you will get your hands dirty, delve deeper into the problems you want to solve, acquire new skills, and take your Idea to Prototype / Proof of Concept (PoC) level. 

i2E Lab Program Structure:

Over the next few weeks, selected participants will learn, network & partner with global experts from across Asia and Europe, build product teams and adopt innovation tools to the problem they are contributing to solve and seek feedback from customers and mentors to constantly iterate. 

Programme outline & modules:

The program will have 5 Modules spread over a period of 3 months, delivered online as workshops, panels and discussions. All sessions are output and outcome driven, with each module introducing tools and tasks that the teams will work together and further discuss with mentors to improvise the solutions.

Your Journey at i2E Lab:  5 Modules at a glance 

What do we offer to participants?

We have ensured that you are able to build with us, solve problems and launch your enterprise.

1. Demo Day: Pitch for Prototyping / PoC Grants & further Incubation support – grants & incubation support with a collective outlay of up to INR 12 Lakh by various partners 
2. Access to a vast network from across Asia & Europe;
3. Support from Telangana State Innovation Cell;
4. Cloud Credits, Innovation Kit and other benefits worth INR 1.6 Lakh per startup;
5. Validate your product/innovation-market fit;
6. A chance to pitch your company to angel investors and incubators;
7. Learn from national & international experts – entrepreneurs, innovators and industry professionals;
8. Access to partner prototyping labs across India. 

Program fees 

To build and deliver this program, we have invested of over INR 40000 per startup. We believe in enabling youth to build for the nation, bring all the resources, connections and talent together to re-imagine possibilities. Keeping this in mind, we have subsidized this program to be as affordable as possible.

Upon selection, you will have to pay a non-refundable commitment fees.  In return, each team will receive benefits worth INR 1.6 Lakh  in program content, startup cloud credits, access to innovation tools, mentorship, prototyping labs, memberships and other resources. 

We have two slabs for the program : 

1. All students (existing and graduated in 2020), will pay a highly subsidized price of INR 6500 per team . 
2. For working professionals it is offered at a subsidized price of INR 12000 per team.

The differential pricing will help us in supporting candidates and youth that really require the financial assistance. We are always open to explore support to deserving youth that wants to build for India. 

What kind of ideas are a match?

We are keen to work with solutions that will solve & build for India – right from education to access to health care; from agricultural innovations to retail solutions; from reducing digital divide & income inequalities to creating new livelihood opportunities; from mental health care to mobile apps enabling local consumption – we welcome all!

1. Sector agnostic and invite ideas to solve for SDGs & Build4India;
2. Most suited for early stage ideas, with or without a proof of concept;
3. Tech / non-tech solutions;
4. Both commercial and social business models are welcome.

The program is designed to help you fine tune your ideas – move up from abstract level to build prototypes and minimum viable product. Please note, the program requires you to either have a revenue model or build one during the program , a complete not-for-profit ideas / solutions are not a match. 

Applications are now open!

We are now accepting applications for the first edition of i2E Lab. We truly believe in democratizing entrepreneurship and encourage everyone, especially youth from Tier 2 & 3 cities to apply. In case you need any assistance in filling the form, please do write to us!

• You can find the application form here.
• Along with the application form, you are requested to share a pitch deck as an attachment. (for details, refer program brochure).
• Please apply on or before 11.59 pm of 13th of Sept, 2020.
• You can submit your idea either as an individual or as a team.

To know more about the program, download Program brochure here.