iHub-Data at IIIT Hyderabad Launches Minor UG Engineering Program in Modern Machine Learning

iHub-Data, the technology innovation hub established by IIIT Hyderabad, is embarking on a novel mission to assist technical institutions and universities (possessing academic autonomous status) for offering a BTech (minor) degree program in Modern Machine Learning from the academic year 2023 onwards.

Machine learning is pervading into a multitude of disciplines in engineering and technology. There is a growing need for the foundations of this discipline to be imbibed early on, at undergraduate level in engineering itself, and to make it more affordable to students willing to be proficient in the domain. With such an objective in mind this program is launched.

Over the past decade, faculty at IIIT Hyderabad had started engaging themselves in shaping the syllabus, lecture contents and practical hands-on tutorials, and exploring ways for offering a skilled program covering fundamentals of modern machine learning. These discussions culminated in a 50-week program on Foundations of Modern Machine Learning, currently offered via iHub-Data to Indian UG students pursuing a career in engineering. With learnings incorporated from its engagement with these students, there has been a growing realisation that this program be also offered as a regular academic program of any university/technical institution.

Access to all requisite learning resources including hands on tuturials would be extended to institutions agreeing to offer this minor program - facilitating these institutions to offer it as a regular on-campus classroom program. An MoU with iHub-Data, IIIT Hyderabad would need to be signed by institutions willing to be part of this network, who would then be able to offer the course for a block period of four years, starting from 2023 onwards.

More details of the minor program and link to register, are available at https://ihub-data.iiit.ac.in/programs/courses/minor-degree-in-machine-leak90rning/

About IIIT Hyderabad: The International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIITH) is an autonomous research university founded in 1998 that focuses on the core areas of Information Technology, such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communications, and their applications in other domains through inter-disciplinary research that has a greater social impact. Some of its research domains include Visual Information Technologies, Human Language Technologies, Data Engineering, VLSI and Embedded Systems, Computer Architecture, Wireless Communications, Algorithms and Information Security, Robotics, Building Science, Earthquake Engineering, Cognitive Science, Computational Natural Sciences and Bioinformatics, Education Technologies, Power Systems, IT in Agriculture and e-Governance.Website: www.iiit.ac.in

iHub-Data at IIIT Hyderabad Launches Foundations of Modern Machine Learning Courses

 

50-week online course for second-year engineering students from August 2022

iHub-Data at IIIT Hyderabad invites applications from second-year undergraduate engineering students for its 50-week online course on Foundations of Modern Machine Learning commencing from August 2022.

The program is specifically targeted at second-year undergraduate engineering students who are aiming at enhancing their knowledge and research capabilities to solve real-world problems using the latest tools and techniques of Machine Learning.

Interactive online sessions will be delivered by IIITH faculty, which include amongst others, Prof CV Jawahar and Prof Anoop M Namboodiri. Around 40 standalone projects have been designed as part of hands-on tutorials. Mentors with considerable exposure to machine learning will help participants to realise objectives of tutorial projects. Industry experts will also contribute to the learning outcome through discussions and interactions.

According to chief course instructor Prof CV Jawahar, “In order to equip students with abilities to solve problems that might arise in future, it is essential that they undergo such research oriented courses, which reinforce knowledge of fundamentals, and promote awareness about the latest tools and techniques. Embedding proximity to experienced professionals within this course is purposeful deviation from similar online courses, to help students avoid common pitfalls”.

Eligibility for Online Program on Machine Learning

The course is open only to undergraduate engineering students who are in their second year of study (2021 admission batch).  A general aptitude test would be administered to all applicants, to test some of the most basic skills and aptitude in research. A preparatory module to make up for any existing gaps or deficiencies would follow the aptitude test.

Benefits of the online program on Machine Learning 

• The course is designed with equal focus on foundation and practices.
• Online modules offered would have a personalised learning experience.
• Weekly quizzes, projects and other assignments would be provided to enhance problem-solving capabilities.
• Expert lectures would be arranged with eminent researchers from academics and industry.
• A certificate would be awarded on successful completion of the program.
• Internships at IIIT Hyderabad would be extended to promising students.

Application deadline 15 June 2022

More details at : https://ihub-data.iiit.ac.in/programs/

President To Launch T-Works, A Startup Incubator for Hardware Industry

The Telangana Government has decided to send a formal request to President Pranab Mukherjee to grace the launch of the state's startup incubator for hardware industry called T-Works. The event is scheduled to take place next month in the recently christened 29th state of the country.

T-Works is a startup incubator created on the same lines as T-Hub, but for the hardware industry. The whole setup is being built on a large in Telangana's much-famous university, Osmania University.

According to a statement given by Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of IT, "T-Works on the lines of T-Hub for Hardware, a large setup will come up in Osmania University and we are requesting the President Pranab Mukherjee to launch it during the Centenary Celebrations of the University next month."

He further added, that the large setup will work as a prototyping centre for electronics, semiconductors and hardware startups and provide young talents a platform to succeed.

The incubator will boost of machinery and equipment that will be able to cater the needs of different types of hardware requirements, especially Internet of Thing (IoT) hardware and electronic hardware. It will also come stocked with sophisticated machinery, testing labs and the startups will be able to use them as a common facility.

According to Ranjan, a startup will be able to book the equipment and use it for a specific period of time. They will be required to pay a user fee for the time the equipment is used.

The state Government has plans of investing a whopping Rs. 35-40 crores for all the equipment needs of T-Works.

Speaking at the National Conference on 'Inno Vision in Packaging' organised by Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), Ranjan shared that the idea of T-Works came to him and his team when they paid a visit to iHub, which is the innovation hub in United States' California. T-Works will be adopting a similar model to iHub in Hyderabad.

T-Works functioning will be on the similar lines as T-Hub and will have a professional CEO and COO. A board will also be constituted to oversee the working of T-Works and will have both industry representatives and government representatives on it.

Meet 4 Biotech Startups Selected For iHUB Incubator of CCMB

Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) made waves in the Indian startup world last year when it announced about opening an Innovation Hub (iHUB@CCMB) in its medical biotechnology complex there. CCMB, which is a research establishment of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), set up the Innovation Hub with an aim of engaging with the industry and translating its own research into reality.

After the launch, the iHUB is in the news once again for selecting four biology startup companies- Bioartis, Virupaksha Life Sciences, Theranosis and Oncosimis. This is for the very first time that the Innovation hub has signed up four biology startup companies. All the selected four have already exchanged a licence agreement with the CCMB to incubate their startups at CCMB's Hyderabad-based iHUB.

A press release announcing the selection reveals that the CCMB has put in extra efforts in providing state-of-the-art facilities at iHUB so that any biology startup could make optimum use of those facilities as "plug and play" mode and have these at their disposal.

According to a statement given by CCMB Director Rakesh Mishra, the basic idea behind setting up iHUB was that any biology startup in India shouldn't have to look beyond iHuB for facilities and that each of these startups should be provided with a fair chance at becoming a success by executing their business plans.

He also added that the Innovation hub hosts a number of activities like scientist-industry interactions and training programmes on how-to produce industry-ready human resource that would specifically prove beneficial to the biotech industry.

Here's some more information about the selected 4 biology startups:

1) Oncosimis Bitotech Private Limited

Incorporated on 05 December, 2016 by Lokireddy Chandra Mohan Reddy and Lokireddy Sudarsanareddy, this Telangana-based biology startup plans to establish their innovative processes in the production of biosimilars and develop a novel/innovative process to prepare a number of cancer drugs.

2) Virupaksha Life Sciences

Incorporated in November 2016 by its founder M Bala Subba Reddy, Virupaksha Life sciences plans to utilise iHUB facilities to develop novel molecules for diabetes.

3) Theranosis Lifesciences Pvt Ltd

Incorporated in February 2016 by founders Shibi Chakravarthy and Balakrishna Venugopal Nambur, Theranosis Lifesciences Pvt Ltd is a Biotech R&D startup, which is on a mission to enable personalized cancer therapy by harnessing the power of Asia’s largest biobank of patient derived tumor tissues and India’s BioIT S/W skills to develop and deliver novel theranostic products for the global market and clinical diagnostic services to the Indian market.

The startup's vision is to build on the recent advances being made in the medical technology field and give birth to a sustainable, viable and scalable product-oriented Biotech R&D company with a goal to deliver niche "in vitro diagnostics" for enabling personalised cancer care.

4) Bioartis Life Sciences Private Limited

Founded by Sunanda Arvapally, Jatin Arrvapalli, Deepti Naseer and Nasaruddin Khaja in July 2014, Bioartis Life Sciences Private Limited is focused on optimizing and validating novel diagnosis methods for diseases of animal and marine origin. It also plans to develop diagnostic kits for such marine diseases.

According to the Press Release, all the selected four biology startups are expected to start their activities at iHub very soon.

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