Date: 10th & 11th October 2025

Venue: Govinda Rao Memorial Hall, GSSSIETW Campus, Mysuru

Organized By: DST-Itbi-GSSS Technology Business Incubator Foundation (GSSSTBIF)

In Association with: eCirkle Foundation, and Aurora Club

About the Workshop

The Two-Day Workshop on “Design Thinking” was organized by DST-iTBI-GSSS Technology Business Incubator Foundation (GSSSTBIF) in association with eCirkle Foundation, GSSSIETW, and Aurora Club on 10th and 11th October 2025 at the Govinda Rao Memorial Hall, GSSSIETW.

The objective of the workshop was to introduce first-year engineering students to the Design Thinking process, enabling them to develop innovative and user-centric solutions to real-world challenges. The workshop was conducted for two different groups of students – one group on Day 1 (10th October) and another group on Day 2 (11th October) – with the same set of topics and activities to ensure equal learning opportunities for all participants.

Inaugural Session

The event was inaugurated by Dr. M. Shivakumar, Principal of GSSSIETW, in the presence of Dr. S. Padmashree, Dr. P. Raviraj, Dr. Sushma S.J. (PI and Co-PIs of DST-iTBI-GSSSTBIF), and Dr. Hrishikesh A, CEO of DST–iTBI–GSSSTBIF.

During his address, Dr. Shivakumar emphasized the importance of design thinking as a foundation for innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Hrishikesh A welcomed the facilitators and participants, encouraging students to apply creativity in solving real-world problems.

Day 1 – Workshop Highlights (10th October 2025)

The first day of the workshop began with an introduction to the principles and stages of Design Thinking – Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.

Facilitators from eCirkle Foundation – Mr. Ram Kevlur, Ms. Usha Krishnan, Mr. Sukesh S., and Mr. Santhosh Mahalingam – conducted highly engaging sessions that combined theory with hands-on learning.

Day 1 – Workshop Highlights (10th October 2025)

The first day of the workshop began with an introduction to the principles and stages of Design Thinking – Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.

Facilitators from eCirkle Foundation – Mr. Ram Kevlur, Ms. Usha Krishnan, Mr. Sukesh S., and Mr. Santhosh Mahalingam – conducted highly engaging sessions that combined theory with hands-on learning.

Students worked in small groups to identify real-world problems, empathize with user needs, and define problem statements. Through brainstorming and ideation activities, participants generated innovative solutions and prepared preliminary prototypes. The sessions were interactive and activity-driven, allowing students to experience design thinking as a process of experimentation and creativity.

The Day 1 participants responded enthusiastically, showcasing excellent teamwork and communication skills throughout the session.

Day 2 – Workshop Highlights (11th October 2025)

The second day of the workshop maintained the same momentum and learning objectives, allowing participants to further strengthen their understanding of Design Thinking methodology. The facilitators conducted hands-on sessions covering all five stages, encouraging collaboration, ideation, and user-focused solution development.

Students actively participated in empathy mapping, brainstorming sessions, and prototype-building exercises. Each team presented their ideas and received valuable feedback from the mentors on refining and improving their concepts.

The atmosphere throughout the day was vibrant and engaging, with participants demonstrating creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving spirit.

Coordination and Support

The event was well coordinated by the GSSSTBIF incubation team, including Mr. Sanjay Pande S.R. (Incubation Associate), Mr. Jyothir Ganesh K. (Tech Support Associate), Ms. Kusuma B., and Mr. Arun Kumar. Their efforts ensured smooth execution of sessions, participant management, and technical arrangements throughout both days.

Conclusion and Outcomes

The two-day workshop concluded successfully with highly positive feedback from students and facilitators. Participants expressed that the sessions helped them think creatively and apply structured problem-solving techniques in their academic and project work.

The facilitators encouraged students to integrate design thinking principles into their learning process and explore opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. Overall, the workshop effectively achieved its objective of introducing young engineers to a human-centered, innovation-driven mindset.

This initiative by DST-iTBI-GSSSTBIF, in collaboration with eCirkle Foundation, has contributed significantly to nurturing creativity and innovation among students at GSSSIETW.

(Dr. Hrishikesh A)