Young Indians Mangaluru Innovation Week Impacts More Than 500 Young Minds
Mangaluru: The CII–Young Indians (Yi) Mangaluru Chapter concluded its Innovation Week 2026, reaching more than 500 students and stakeholders across six educational institutions in the Mangaluru and Udupi region through experiential programmes focused on problem-solving, Design Thinking, innovative applications of AI, rural innovation and prototyping.
Held during the first two weeks of August, the initiative aimed to foster an innovation and entrepreneurial mindset among young people, in line with the chapter’s broader focus on youth leadership and nation-building.
More than 100 students from Grades 4 to 9 at a school in Mangaluru were introduced to experiential problem-solving, which encouraged them to observe, question, and develop solutions to everyday challenges. At the college level, 81 students at an engineering college in Kundapura worked on real-life challenges through hands-on Design Thinking and Innovation Run Cards. In comparison, another 76 engineering students in Moodbidri explored the application of AI in innovation and problem-solving.
A distinctive component of the week was the Rural Innovation Exposure programme at an aquaculture and ornamental fish farming enterprise in Neermarga. Students from the Zoology Department of a Mangaluru college witnessed how controlled breeding, water management, resource optimisation and sustainable farming practices can be applied to create a viable enterprise. The exposure highlighted how local challenges in agriculture and aquaculture can be transformed into opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.
The week culminated at NITK Surathkal, where more than 250 college students from institutions across the region toured the Idea Factory and Centre for System Design (CSD). The students interacted with experts, explored prototypes and gained first-hand insight into how ideas progress through design, experimentation and engineering towards practical applications.
Ideating for Mangaluru
Ashish Rai, Chair of the Innovation Vertical of Yi Mangaluru Chapter, said: “Our next step is a structured Ideathon that brings young minds from across the region together to solve a real regional problem. With support from corporates and government bodies, the intent is to take the strongest idea beyond the drawing board, develop it into a practical solution, explore its potential as a startup, and connect it with policymakers, mentors and investors to create a scalable and sustainable model with lasting impact.”
Sharan Shetty, Chair of Young Indians Mangaluru Chapter, said the initiative reflects the chapter’s commitment to youth leadership and nation-building by encouraging young people to think independently, solve real-world problems and create meaningful impact across the region and the nation.
Aditya Pai, Co-Chair of Young Indians Mangaluru Chapter, said: “Innovation Week was about giving young minds exposure to problem-solving and showing how ideas can become solutions. Organisations like Young Indians can bridge academia, industry and entrepreneurs, creating an ecosystem where promising ideas can grow into meaningful solutions and future enterprises.”
CII–Young Indians (Yi) Mangaluru Chapter, with a strong network of 80 members committed to nation-building, thought leadership and youth empowerment, undertakes projects and initiatives that actively engage students, rural communities, members and other stakeholders, creating meaningful impact across the region.