LJ Innovation Village is a platform to showcase innovative projects, products and start-ups by innovators. It provides an opportunity to innovators to interact with students, faculties, industry experts and investors. It brings out hidden creativity of students, enhances their skills and performance by focusing on overall innovative development.
Innovation and creativity are two words heard frequently in today’s education
system. How can we encourage innovation and creativity in ourselves and our
students? Reimers-Hild and King (2009) described components of innovation as
fun, creative, diverse, collaborative, and intuitive. Though, innovation has
been defined differently by coveted noble laureates, we believe that an idea
must be replicable and economically scalable. Innovation is a process, which
evolves the life cycle of a product/ service, from ideation phase to
commercialization for becoming useful to society.
The additions and deletions during this process define the creative instinct of the innovator. An innovative ecosystem is the outcome of risk takers and entrepreneurial thinkers.
To nurture the skills of youth, LJ Innovation Village is being organized every year in the month of January – February since 2013. So far more than 1500 projects have been showcased by over 6000 students of Degree/Diploma Engineering, Pharmacy, Applied Sciences, Architecture and MCA. Students visit some places and look into the social problems, then find out solutions by their innovative ideas and develop relevant projects. All these projects are mentored and evaluated by various Industry Experts. After the evaluation process, best projects are selected for the next stage (Start-up Week 24 x 7).
First edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized by LJ Polytechnic on March 8, 2013 and inaugurated by Mr. Hiranmay Mahanta; Director GTU Innovation Council along with all Directors of LJ Group of Institutes, Faculty Members, other Staff and Students. 40 technical projects and more than 100 posters were showcased by over 150 LJ Polytechnic students.
Second edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized on February 24, 2014 and inaugurated by Dr. Arvind Patel; MD-Sahajanand Laser. More than 60 Technical Projects/Models and 50 Technical Posters were showcased by the LJ Polytechnic students .
Third edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized on January 19, 2015 and inaugurated by Mr. Harkesh Mittal Advisor & Head, National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development. More than 200 Technical Projects/Models were showcased by the students of LJ Polytechnic, LJ Institutes of Engineering & Technology, LJ Institutes of Pharmacy and LJ Institute of Computer Applications. Mr. Mahesh Salkar; Senior VP, Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM), Mr. Padmanabha; VP, TKM, Mr. Ajit Mehta; Dealer Principal, Infinium Toyota and other TKM Management also visited LJ Innovation Village.
Fourth edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized on 30th January, 2016 and inaugurated by Smt. Anandiben Patel, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat. More than 400 projects were showcased by over 1400 participants. Smt. Anandiben Patel said that first time in the history after the formation of Gujarat as a state, any college has organized such Programme of Innovation. She said, she had never seen such a programme (innovation), conducted either by government or any other organization. Smt. Anandiben Patel congratulated LJK for providing youth the necessary platform to showcase their unique talent which will give a boost to innovation and prepare youth to become entrepreneurs.
Fifth edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized on 8th February, 2017 and inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Navin Sheth; Vice-Chancellor, Gujarat Technological University. More than 250 Technical Projects were showcased by the over 850 Students of LJ Group of Institutes. Prof. S. B. Sareen; Project Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India also visited LJ innovation Village.
Sixth edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized on 17th February, 2018 and inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Navin Sheth; Vice-Chancellor, Gujarat Technological University, Prof. Anil Gupta, Founder Honey Bee Network. This time participants from 12 states of India and 10 districts of Gujarat also showcased their projects/products/ start-ups. Overall 325 plus projects (including prototypes, products, startups) were showcased by over 1150 participants. “Garage on Wheel”….an Initiative of LJK was inaugurated by Smt. Anju Sharma (IAS); Principal Secretary Higher & Technical Education, Govt. of Gujarat. After the exhibition pitching sessions were also organized for participants from outside Gujarat and also participants from institutes other than LJGOI.
Seventh edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized on 7th& 8th February, 2019 and inaugurated by Prof. (Dr.) Navin Sheth; Vice-Chancellor, Gujarat Technological University. Over 330 projects, products and startups were showcased by over 1200 participants ranging from school students to Ph.D., from 18 districts of Gujarat and 12 states from across India. Participants from also showcased their projects. More than 60 industrial and business mentors visited the projects, interacted with participants and motivated them. Four technical interactive and two pitching sessions were organized. Best projects were awarded and they will be taken to the next step for startup week.
Eight edition of LJ Innovation Village was organized on 7th & 8th February, 2020 and inaugurated by Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE, Padmashri Prof. Anil Gupta, Founder Honey Bee Network. Over 250 Projects and Products were showcased by over 1100 participants ranging from school students to Ph.D., from 10 Districts of Gujarat and 11 States from across India. Unique feature of this edition was that various live activities under the name of “BRAIN-O-VATION” were organized. More than 80 Industrial and Business Mentors visited LJIV projects, interacted with participants and motivated them. Four Technical Interactive and Two Pitching Sessions were organized. More than 8000 visitors including students, parents, industry people, faculties, professionals and LJK management & trustees, visited LJ Innovation Village. Best projects were awarded prizes and they will be taken to next step for startup week. Overall, this event was a grand success with well-organized projects, good participation, grand hospitality, logistics and food arrangement. Event was extensively covered by leading Electronic & Print Media.