National Institute of Technology

Nov 07, 2023

Two student start-ups take off at NIT Calicut

Imbibing the spirit of the National Student Start-up Policy 2019, formulated by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Education Policy 2020, two student groups have launched their start-ups on the campus of the National Institute of Technology Calicut. The student ventures are expected to kick start the spirit of entrepreneurship among the students of the Institute.

Three more student start-ups are in the pipeline on the NITC campus. More are expected to join the innovative journey as the Institute now permits a maximum of two-year break from their academic pursuit for launching and promoting startups.

It is a positive trend that many students are now pursuing their passion to become entrepreneurs who are capable of offering job opportunities to many, said Prof. Prasad Krishna, Director of NIT Calicut. NITC has one of the oldest Technology Business Incubators in India, however, the number of student start-ups was nominal in the earlier days, he said adding that the NEP and Start-up policy have fueled up the spirit of the students.

The two student start-ups launched on Tuesday are Levyug Pvt. Ltd. and Staymithra Getaways Pvt. Ltd. While Staymithra offers a diverse range of travel and accommodation services that cater to every aspect of travel, Levyug aims at providing the right environment to young entrepreneurs by offering them resources, connections and essential information they require through one single app.

Earlier, students from Tier I institutions like IITs and NITs were opting high salaried jobs in companies and only students from Tier II institutions were going for start-ups as they do not get lucrative job offers unlike Tier I institutions, said Prof. Sameer S. M., Dean (Academic) during the launch. However, now many students from IITs and NITs becoming entrepreneurs at a young age, he said.

The students have launched their start-ups with the support of the Centre for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Incubation (CIEI) and Technology Business Incubator (TBI). Prof. Prasad Krishna also launched their website and online platform.

“One of the unique aspects of Staymithra is our strong presence in educational institutions like IITs and NITs, said Shameem Madampara, a third year chemical engineering student, co-founder and director of Staymithra during a presentation. Over 40% of students in these prestigious institutions rely on booking platforms for their travel needs, he added. Other founders of the company are Melvin S., Akshay P.K. and Muhammed Khalid Cheenambidan from third year engineering course. They have employed 9 interns and will provide placement on successful completion.

“We ensure complete support for upcoming entrepreneurs by providing business research and advisory services, access to funding and investment networks, legal and regulatory compliance assistance, marketing, incubation and technical support,” said G V Kailash Nath from, founder of Levyug. Other core members are Pranav Kandukuru, G R S Nikitha, Vepuri Lakshman Vikranth and Gowtham Goud from Electronics and Communication Engineering. They have 20 student members in their team.

Dr. S. Ashok, chairperson of CIEI and Dr. M. Preethi, CEO of TBI also spoke. Heads of various departments, faculty members and students attended the launch ceremony held at Senate Hall.

Prof. Prasad Krishna, Director of NITC, releasing the travel package by Staymithra Gateway Pvt. Ltd.

Prof. Prasad Krishna, Director of NITC, launching the booking platform of Staymithra Gateway Pvt. Ltd.

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