JAMMU, Jul 11: Maker Bhavan Foundation (MBF), in collaboration with IIT Jammu, successfully concluded the seventh edition of InventX, a six-week residential innovation programme that enabled 30 undergraduate students from across India to develop 10 patent-ready prototypes under the mentorship of IIT Jammu faculty.
The programme marks the successful completion of the IIT Jammu cohort, following the conclusion of the IIT Gandhinagar edition on July 4. Formerly known as Invention Factory, InventX is an intensive residential programme that brings together students from engineering, science, and design institutions to identify real-world problems, build innovative solutions, develop working prototypes, and file provisional patent applications before the programme concludes.
This year, 60 students were selected from more than 1,000 applications received from colleges across the country to participate in the programme hosted at IIT Jammu and IIT Gandhinagar. At IIT Jammu, 30 students worked in teams to develop ten innovative prototypes, each leading to the filing of a provisional patent application under the guidance of IIT Jammu mentors.
With this edition, InventX has crossed the milestone of 120 cumulative provisional patent applications, filed in both India and the United States since the programme’s inception.
Speaking on the occasion, Gautam Khanna, Chief Executive Officer of Maker Bhavan Foundation, said the IIT Jammu cohort demonstrated the immense potential of young innovators when provided with the right mentorship and resources. He said the programme transforms students from passive learners into active creators capable of solving real-world challenges through innovation. He praised the participants and faculty mentors for developing ten patent-ready prototypes within just six weeks.
Throughout the programme, students identified practical problems, designed innovative solutions, built and refined prototypes, and presented their inventions before a panel comprising academicians, industry experts, and patent professionals.
Prof. Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu, said the programme reinforced the value of experiential learning. He appreciated the dedication of faculty mentors, including Prof. Ankit Dubey, Prof. Navneet Kumar, Prof. Ankit Kathuria, and Prof. Yogesh M. Nimdeo, for guiding students through every stage of product development and helping nurture the spirit of innovation.
The top three teams were awarded cash prizes of Rs 2 lakh, Rs 1 lakh, and Rs 50,000, respectively.
The first prize was won by Urjit Bhavsar (SGGSIE&T Nanded), Karishma Batra (FDDI Noida), and Krutarth Patel (PDEU Gandhinagar) for developing a Retractable Needle Syringe, a safety syringe designed to reduce needle-stick injuries and prevent infection transmission.
The second prize went to Abhinav Chavan (IIT Indore), Ujjwal (IIT Jammu), and Priyanka Jaitley (MIET Jammu) for their Anti Snag Zip System, an innovative zipper mechanism designed to prevent skin entrapment while improving durability and ease of use.
The third prize was awarded to Saloni Morbale (ICT Mumbai), Dev Vora (IIIT Bangalore), and Jatin Saini (MNIT Jaipur) for creating a Position Adaptive Jet Nebulizer, which enables effective aerosol therapy even when used in tilted positions, making it more comfortable for patients.
Organisers said every participating team has filed a provisional patent application for its invention in both India and the United States. Since its launch, InventX has received over 1,500 applications from more than 300 educational institutions and continues to promote innovation, prototyping, and entrepreneurship among engineering students. The programme is offered free of cost to all selected participants.