Why is IIT Madras the Best Place to Build?

If your passion drives you towards Engineering, if you like building things from scratch, or if you want to work on something that will ultimately benefit society, you need an environment that will nurture your skills and aid you in bringing your product to life. At IIT Madras, it's not just about studying engineering; it’s about evolving and becoming better makers, builders, and engineers for the future.

What makes IIT Madras the best place to build?

Various factors come into the picture in making IIT Madras the best place to build. Here are some of them which have played a key role:

• Centre for Innovation (CFI): Established with the principle of - ‘Walk in with an idea, walk out with a product’, the CFI, housed in the recently inaugurated majestic Sudha and Shankar Innovation hub, is the largest student-run innovation lab in India. It serves as a launchpad for the ideas of the students of IIT Madras. CFI consists of 13 clubs and 6 competition teams that work rigorously throughout the year and represent IIT Madras in competitions across the world. What makes it even more fun is students get to learn stuff from the clubs that they are not a part of - through summer school!
• Research Park and Incubation Cell: The IITM Research Park serves as a collaborative ecosystem where faculty, students, and industry professionals team up to push technological boundaries and fuel entrepreneurship through dedicated research and development efforts. Students dive into internships, soak up startup vibes, and even nurture their own ideas, stepping into the world of entrepreneurship. The IITM Incubation Cell in the research park currently houses around 200 deep technology startups. They provide the incubated teams with workspaces, funding opportunities, Venture Capital opportunities, and much more.
• Central Workshop: Workshops offer a unique journey for each student, empowering them to build confidence in their work and future innovations by crafting something from scratch. This compulsory 3-credit course in the first year of B.Tech at IIT Madras allows them to explore industrial tools and methods, manufacturing items like wooden pencil stands, molded plastic keychains, printed circuit boards, and more - plus, they get to take their creations home!

The institute also has a dedicated Entrepreneurship Cell - or the E-Cell, which helps students realize their entrepreneurial goals, and serves as a platform for them to build and advertise their product. Every department also has its own laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment. Students can work on projects under their professors and make use of all the cutting-edge facilities that IIT Madras provides.

Does building only mean making things?

Not at all. True, IIT Madras is a prime hub for technological innovations, but it does not restrict students in any way. ‘Building’ extends beyond technology - it includes honing your communication skills, building your CV, cultivating extracurricular talents, or just enhancing your personality. There are clubs and groups for everything you might be interested in besides engineering, from writing to UPSC preparation clubs. IIT Madras provides an ideal platform for students to explore what they are good at, and ultimately build themselves as better individuals.

Join us at IIT Madras - the best place to build!

If you have more questions on IIT Madras or the build culture we're known for, please ask on our community so that current students and alumni can answer- AskIITM community.