Around 80 students participate in hands-on workshop on waste upcycling and sustainable product design
Lucknow: The Innovation Incubation Centre at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning (FOAP), Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU), Lucknow, organised a two-day Student Startup Awareness and Innovation Promotion Programme on October 13 and 14 to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development among students.
Held under the theme ‘From Ideas to Enterprise – Start Building Your Tomorrow’, the programme aimed to help students transform creative ideas into practical solutions and viable business ventures. It was organised under the leadership of AKTU Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr) JP Pandey, with guidance from FOAP Dean Prof. (Dr) Vandana Sehgal and Head of Department Prof. (Dr) Ritu Gulati.
Experts from the startup ecosystem, financial institutions, business development and social entrepreneurship shared insights into launching and sustaining enterprises. Vikas Kalra, an expert in startup ecosystems and strategic partnerships, discussed leadership, business planning, industry collaboration and resource management. Dr Anuj Kumar Sharma, Associate Dean (Innovation) at AKTU, encouraged students to develop creative solutions to real-world challenges.
Sachin Modi, Assistant General Manager at the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), explained financial assistance available to startups, institutional funding, Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 and relevant Uttar Pradesh government schemes. Sunil Jaiswal, co-founder of Mr Professional and a Startup India mentor, discussed startup registration, statutory compliance, business model selection and challenges faced by emerging enterprises.
Jyotsna Kaur Habibullah, founder of Lucknow Farmers Market and the Awadh Mango Growers Association, highlighted opportunities in social entrepreneurship and businesses based on local resources. She emphasised connecting farmers, local producers and rural communities with entrepreneurial ventures to create employment and livelihood opportunities.
Shikha Shah, founder and CEO of Varanasi-based sustainable enterprise Scraplasha, shared her entrepreneurial journey of converting waste materials into creative, marketable products. She highlighted the importance of the circular economy, responsible consumption, resource reuse and environmentally conscious product development. Madhu Shah, associated with Scraplasha, also shared insights into establishing and developing sustainable businesses.
A major component of the programme was a practical workshop on ‘Sustainable Design and Waste Upcycling’, conducted by Shikha Shah on October 13. Around 80 students participated in activities such as making lamps using papier-mâché, creating vision boards reflecting personal goals and aspirations, designing upcycled photo frames and producing textured paper embedded with seeds.
The hands-on sessions helped participants understand eco-design, resource efficiency and the potential of transforming discarded materials into value-added products. The workshop also demonstrated how creative design can generate new business opportunities while addressing environmental concerns.
The two-day programme combined expert interactions with experiential learning, helping students understand the journey from an idea to a product and ultimately to an enterprise. It encouraged them to develop innovative business models that address social and environmental needs.
The programme was coordinated by architect Gaurav Singh, senior assistant professor; architect Deepti Sagar, assistant professor; architect Priyanka Rastogi, assistant professor; and Ankit Jain. Faculty members, staff and students contributed to the successful organisation of the event.
Through the initiative, FOAP-AKTU’s Innovation Incubation Centre reinforced its commitment to fostering entrepreneurial thinking, practical learning and sustainability, particularly among architecture and design students, encouraging them to turn their creative abilities into meaningful solutions and future business ventures.
