LTTS’s First Ever Engineering Technology Challenge TECHgium Attracts Over 170 Colleges

By Manu Sharma

The third and final year engineering students have a unique opportunity to display their innovative skills by participating in a first ever real-time technology challenge addressing engineering problems. Termed TechGium, the tech challenge is an initiative by LnT Technology Services Ltd (LTTS) and offers 5000 engineering graduates from over 170 engineering institutes across India to work on futuristic technology ideas. LTTS has invited students from top tier Indian engineering institutes to work on projects and Proof of Concepts (PoCs) that will address current needs and future challenges of LTTS’ global clients.

One of the key highlights of TECHgium is that it will lead to the creation of a new breed of associates with niche engineering skills and capabilities in a way that has simply not been done before. LTTS will help young engineers channel their spirit of curiosity and enquiry and empower them to discover untapped technical skills and innovative approaches to challenges that need engineering-based solutions. This challenge will give the participants an invaluable opportunity to work on futuristic technologies and augment the solution development team of LTTS, while getting recognized as a TECHgium innovator. 

Keshab Panda, CEO and MD, LnT Technology Services said, “We have our DNA outside India and operate in multi vertical segment. Usually innovation stops at 40 years and so are always looking at youngsters with fresh ideas to drive innovation and are inspired by the Make in India movement. We want to encourage the thrust on research that will deliver a sustainable competitive advantage.“

He adds that our TECHgium initiative is a pivotal step towards creating a new ecosystem that brings together customers, academia and students to be part of the nation’s capacity building objectives and also trigger new-age innovations conceptualized by fresh minds.

On 0ctober 15, 2015, LTTS sent out invitations and over 900 colleges registered but out of them, 5000 students from 170 colleges have confirmed their participation by signing the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). In Stage 1 of the challenge, student registrations were open from November 28, 2016 to December 9, 2016.

As part of the Stage 2, from December 12, 2016 the participants need to submit the concept papers and have time till January 12, 2017. A total number of 30 challenges were posted online and these spread across transportation, industrial products, process industry, telecom and semiconductors and the participants along with over 150 mentors will work on the above challenges and come out with the concept papers.   

Stage 3 will witness Technical Presentation where in participants will submit full technical papers from January 21-28, 2017 followed by in-person presentations from January 30 to February 1, 2017 across LTTS offices in Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Baroda.

The final leg i.e. Stage 4 will see selected participants making a Proof of Concept (POC) demonstration from April 19-21, 2017 at the Bangalore office followed by the grand finale on April 21, 2017 also at the Bangalore office.

Successful candidates will be eligible for absorption into the company based on the merit of their solutions. There is also three cash rewards of Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh for the top innovations developed by students.