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Institution’s Innovation Council and Pre Incubation centre

Institution’s Innovation Council

M.O.P. Vaishnav College has been fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem since 1999 through the establishment of its Entrepreneurship Development (ED) Cell. Over the years, the ED Cell has served as a catalyst for nurturing entrepreneurial thinking, innovation, and enterprise among students, making entrepreneurship an integral part of campus life.

In 2019, the ED Cell, functioning under the Ministry’s entrepreneurship initiatives, was upgraded as a Pre-Incubation Centre with the objective of equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and mentorship required to transform innovative ideas into viable entrepreneurial ventures.

Building on this strong foundation, the College established its Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) in 2021 under the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) in collaboration with AICTE. The IIC initiative aims to promote a vibrant culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and start-up development across Higher Education Institutions.

At M.O.P. Vaishnav College, the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) serves as the nucleus of the institution’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. It provides a dynamic platform for students and faculty to ideate, innovate, collaborate, and develop entrepreneurial competencies through structured interventions, experiential learning opportunities, and industry engagement.

The Council is committed to cultivating an innovation-driven mindset, encouraging problem-solving, supporting start-up aspirations, and creating an enabling environment where entrepreneurial ideas can evolve into sustainable ventures.
The Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) organizes and facilitates a wide range of initiatives, including:

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes

aim to promote awareness of entrepreneurship and innovation among faculty and students, fostering creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, and a culture of innovation across the institution.

Ideation and Design Thinking Workshops

aims at equipping students with the skills to identify opportunities, generate innovative business ideas, and develop user-centric products through structured design thinking and creative problem-solving approaches.

Expert Talks by Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Industry Leaders

aims at inspiring students and building their confidence to pursue entrepreneurial ventures aligned with their interests and aspirations.

Innovation Challenges, Hackathons, and Competitions

aims at providing students with opportunities to organize and actively participate in events that foster innovation, creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurial excellence.

Collaboration with Industry, Incubators, and Innovation Ecosystem Partners

aims at enabling students to validate and showcase their business ideas on broader platforms through industry and incubation support, facilitating feasibility testing and venture development.

Skill Development and Capacity-BuildingProgrammes

aims at enhancing students’ entrepreneurial competencies through specialized training offered by the college’s Kaushal Kendra, equipping them with the skills required to pursue business ventures of their choice.

Business on-campus ,the Practice school and stall opportunity off campus

aims at providing students with experiential entrepreneurial learning through on-campus business initiatives, practice school activities, and off-campus stall opportunities, enabling them to gain real-world business and marketing experience.

On campus Business kiosks

aims at providing students with hands-on entrepreneurial experience through student-managed business kiosks, fostering practical skills in business operations, customer engagement, and enterprise management. Two business kiosks operate on campus namely Beyond Breads and Akriti (Stationery items and Accessories)

Exhibitions and fairs

aims at promoting awareness of traditional, sustainable, and indigenous products through exhibitions and fairs, providing students with exposure to local enterprises, artisan craftsmanship, and sustainable business practices.

Field Visits to organisations or incubation centres

aims at providing students with first hand exposure to startup ecosystems through visits to organisations and incubation centres such as IIT Research Park and MCC Incubation Centre, enabling them to understand the entrepreneurial journey and startup operations.

Alumna speak-“Classroom to Boardroom”

aims at inspiring students through interactive sessions where successful alumni entrepreneurs share their entrepreneurial journeys, experiences, and insights into building successful ventures.

Vaishnav Venture Vox

an exclusive podcast channel through Spotify where in valuable startup tips are shared by entrepreneurs visiting campus

Intellectual Property rights awareness and Patent Filing

aims at creating awareness about intellectual property protection and guiding students in securing their innovations through expert advisory support on patent filing and related intellectual property rights.

Impact Lecture Series

aims at empowering young women with the knowledge, skills, and entrepreneurial mindset to become future leaders, innovators, and change-makers in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Start-up Mentoring,business proposal validation and Pre-Incubation Support

aims at nurturing student entrepreneurs by providing opportunities to present innovative business ideas through Start Up Utsav, enabling them to receive expert mentorship, validate business proposals, and access pre-incubation support.

Panel discussions and Open Forums

aims at providing students with opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions with experts, exchange ideas, and gain diverse perspectives on innovation, entrepreneurship, and emerging business trends.

Student Innovation Projects ,New product Research and Showcases

aims at encouraging students to undertake innovative product research and development projects, providing opportunities to showcase their ideas and prototypes through exhibitions and innovation showcases.

MOU with Ecosystem Players

aims at strengthening collaboration with industry, incubators, and other ecosystem stakeholders to provide students with mentorship, resources, and opportunities that support entrepreneurial and startup development.

Through these initiatives, the IIC continues to strengthen the institution’s commitment to developing future-ready graduates equipped with the entrepreneurial mindset, innovative capabilities, and leadership skills required to contribute meaningfully to society and the economy.

M.O.P Bazaar

The Ministry of Entrepreneurship organizes the annual student-run M.O.P Bazaar. It is a platform for the students to showcase their entrepreneurial skills where the students of the college come together in teams to run their businesses for two days. The Bazaar is open to the public and sees a footfall of over 10,000 every year. An array of performances and stage shows are an added attraction. In order to make the already exhilarating event even more exciting, the Bazaar is structured in the form of streets, each having a unique name, holding around 80 stalls run by around 300 students and alumni. A plethora of products ranging from artefacts, home decor, cosmetics, garments footwear, and food delicacies are sold at the Bazaar.

To inculcate the spirit of healthy competition and as a token of appreciation, the stallholders are given several opportunities to win awards. The following is the list of awards:


Best Stall Name


Best Retail Display


Most Innovative Products


Best Promotion Announcement


Most Eco-Friendly Stall


Most Innovative Packaging


Best Dressed Stall Owners


People’s Choice Award


Crown Magnet Award


Outstanding Audience and Interiors Awards


Best Handmade /Hand crafted Product


Best Food Stall


Best Mompreneur

Ignite

IGNITE is a biennial event held every two years to promote entrepreneurship among youth. Featuring eminent speakers, including practitioners and thought-leaders on entrepreneurship, it was aimed at inculcating passion for entrepreneurship among student community in Chennai.The summit created a forum for the exchange of ideas and insights, with the goal of inspiring budding entrepreneurs, IGNITE 2017 fostered entrepreneurial passion among students, while IGNITE 2019 equipped faculty to mentor and nurture aspiring entrepreneurs, the format being that of a Faculty Development Programme. IGNITE 2023 celebrated 30 ‘Under 30’ alumni entrepreneurs with awards and also insightful panel discussions. IGNITE 2025 expanded with the Swabhimaan Impact Awards, Expert talks, Fire side chat, Workshops, and competitions aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Start Up Utsav

This is a flagship business pitch competition and incubation initiative organized by the theInstitution’s Innovation Council and Student Ministry of Entrepreneurship,M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women(Autonomous). The platform enables students to present innovative business ideas to industry experts, gain mentorship and pre-incubation support, and transform concepts into viable ventures. By bridging academics with the startup ecosystem, Start Up Utsav provides invaluable real-world exposure and nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit among aspiring women entrepreneurs.

Contact: Entrepreneurship & Incubation Centre

M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women (Autonomous)

Chennai – 600 034.
E-Mail : mopincubation@gmail.com