MIT-IIT Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
Design thinking, rapid prototyping, and entrepreneurship through real-world problem solving.
I had the privilege of being selected as one of 48 participants from MIT, the IITs, and the Asian School of Business (ASB) for the MIT-IIT Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, organized by the MIT Sloan School of Management.
The bootcamp was led by Professor Rajesh Nair, Professor of the Practice at the MIT Sloan School of Management, whose expertise in innovation, design thinking, and entrepreneurship shaped the program. Under his mentorship, participants were challenged to approach problems from first principles, empathize deeply with users, and rapidly prototype solutions to real-world challenges.
Over several weeks at IIT Delhi and IIT Mandi, we worked in multidisciplinary teams to identify societal problems, conduct field research, build prototypes, and validate solutions with end users.
Rather than focusing on a single project, the bootcamp encouraged us to explore multiple ideas, iterate rapidly, and learn directly from the communities we were designing for.
Design Thinking in Action
Every project followed a common process:
- Identify a real-world problem.
- Conduct field visits and interview stakeholders.
- Brainstorm multiple possible solutions.
- Build quick prototypes.
- Test with users.
- Iterate based on feedback.
This iterative process emphasized learning quickly rather than trying to build the perfect solution on the first attempt.
Mentoring Future Innovators
One of the most rewarding parts of the bootcamp was participating in the Zero2Maker initiative in collaboration with NITI Aayog.
We mentored school students as they transformed their ideas into working prototypes using 3D printing and rapid prototyping techniques. Watching students experience the entire engineering design process—from identifying a problem to holding a physical prototype—was both inspiring and rewarding.
Project Highlights
Throughout the bootcamp, our teams explored a variety of ideas spanning accessibility, sustainability, healthcare, and social entrepreneurship.
TreatTime
A pet-powered alarm clock.
Many people struggle to wake up despite multiple alarms.
Our idea was simple: at the scheduled alarm time, the device dispenses a pet treat into a visible enclosure. The pet becomes excited and repeatedly nudges its owner until the treat is released, making it surprisingly difficult to ignore the alarm.
The project explored how existing daily routines—in this case caring for a pet—could be leveraged to solve a common behavioral problem.
Low-Cost Trash Compactor
Affordable waste management for dense urban environments.
Working with local stakeholders in Delhi, we investigated challenges in municipal waste collection.
After multiple brainstorming sessions and workshop iterations, we designed a prototype trash compactor using an inexpensive automotive scissor jack as the primary mechanical actuator. The goal was to demonstrate that effective engineering solutions do not necessarily require expensive components.
Indoor Navigation for the Visually Impaired
Making unfamiliar environments easier to navigate.
Through interviews with visually impaired users, we learned that many avoided large social gatherings because navigating unfamiliar venues independently was difficult.
Our team explored a human-assisted navigation system where volunteers could provide real-time voice guidance using existing communication tools. We validated the concept through live trials and demonstrated that continuous audio assistance significantly improved confidence during navigation.
Although simple, the project highlighted how meaningful impact can sometimes come from combining existing technologies in new ways.
Kamand Coasters
Supporting rural women entrepreneurs.
In Kamand village, local artisans produced beautifully handcrafted coasters. However, each coaster required nearly two days of manual work, limiting productivity and income.
Our team approached the challenge from two directions:
- designing a simple mechanical tool to streamline the weaving process
- developing a Business Model Canvas to improve pricing, distribution, and market access
The project combined engineering with entrepreneurship, demonstrating that innovation often involves both better products and better business models.
BUS (बस)
Improving accessibility in public transportation.
Public transportation can be particularly challenging for visually impaired commuters.
Our concept proposed a voice-first mobile application that would:
- guide users to the correct bus stop
- provide audio navigation
- notify bus drivers that a visually impaired passenger was waiting
- assist users in boarding the correct bus safely
The project focused on improving independence while requiring minimal changes to existing public transport infrastructure.
Beyond the Projects
Some of the most memorable moments happened outside the workshops.
From morning runs around campus and late-night brainstorming sessions to table tennis matches and weekend hikes through the hills surrounding IIT Mandi, the bootcamp fostered friendships across institutions, disciplines, and countries.
These experiences created an environment where ideas flowed naturally and collaboration extended well beyond scheduled working hours.
Reflections
The MIT-IIT Entrepreneurship Bootcamp fundamentally changed how I think about innovation.
Rather than starting with technology, we learned to begin with people—their frustrations, motivations, and everyday experiences. Field visits, interviews, rapid prototyping, and continuous iteration became the foundation of every project.
The experience reinforced that successful products are rarely the result of a single brilliant idea. Instead, they emerge from repeatedly testing assumptions, learning from users, and refining solutions based on real-world feedback.
Whether mentoring students, working alongside rural entrepreneurs, building mechanical prototypes, or designing accessibility solutions, every project emphasized one lesson:
Innovation begins with empathy and succeeds through iteration.
