Thursday, September 03, 2026
Date - 3 September 2026
Time - 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Venue - Dr. D. Y. Patil B-School, Pune
Resource Person - Name: Mr. Aditya Deshpande
Designation: Senior Incubation Manager, DPU Unitech Foundation
Brief Profile:
Mr. Aditya Deshpande is an Innovation and Project Management professional with 8+ years of experience, according to his LinkedIn profile. He is associated with DPU Unitech Foundation and works in the area of startup incubation, innovation, entrepreneurship and project management. His LinkedIn profile also lists the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) among his educational experiences, along with professional learning in innovation, business models and entrepreneurship through NPTEL/IIT Roorkee.
Mr. Deshpande has actively contributed to entrepreneurship and innovation-oriented programmes within the Dr. D. Y. Patil ecosystem. Institutional records document his involvement in sessions on converting innovation into startups, ideation, prototype development, problem-solving, entrepreneurship and startup competitions.
He has also served as a resource person for startup idea-pitching and entrepreneurship programmes, where students were exposed to startup ecosystems, business models, intellectual property, idea validation and practical innovation skills.
His professional profile also includes a published research paper titled “PLC Based Object Sorting Automation”, reflecting an early technical and problem-solving orientation towards innovation.
Creative of the Event-
Objective
• To create awareness among students about the journey from an initial idea to a viable innovation.
• To develop an entrepreneurial and innovation-oriented mindset among students.
• To help students understand how real-world problems can become opportunities for innovative solutions.
• To introduce students to the process of ideation, validation, prototyping and innovation development.
• To encourage creative thinking, problem-solving and identification of opportunities.
• To provide practical insights into entrepreneurship, startups and the role of incubation support.
• To motivate students to convert innovative ideas into structured and potentially scalable solutions.
• To familiarise students with the startup and incubation ecosystem and the support available to emerging entrepreneurs.
Attended by: 80, including students, faculty members, HODs
Brief Report-
The session on “From Idea to Innovation” was successfully conducted on 3 September 2026 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Dr. D. Y. Patil B-School, Pune, under the initiatives of the Startup & Innovation Cell and Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC).
The session featured Mr. Aditya Deshpande, Senior Incubation Manager, DPU Unitech Foundation, as the resource person. With his professional experience in innovation and project management and his involvement in startup incubation and entrepreneurship programmes, Mr. Deshpande provided students with practical insights into the process of transforming ideas into meaningful innovations.
The session focused on the fundamental journey of moving from an idea towards innovation. Students were encouraged to understand that innovation generally begins with identifying a problem, understanding the needs of potential users, generating possible solutions and subsequently testing and refining those solutions.
Mr. Deshpande discussed the importance of problem identification, ideation, idea screening, validation and prototype development. His previous institutional engagements have similarly included guidance on ideation, shortlisting potential ideas and methods of prototype development.
The resource person used practical examples and startup-oriented insights to explain how students can look at everyday challenges from an entrepreneurial perspective. The discussion helped students understand that an innovative idea needs to address a genuine problem and create value for its intended users.
The session also highlighted the role of incubation centres in supporting early-stage innovators. Students were introduced to the broader startup ecosystem and the importance of mentorship, validation, business-model development, intellectual property awareness, networking and other forms of institutional support. Institutional records show Mr. Deshpande's involvement in startup competitions and entrepreneurship programmes covering these areas.
An interactive approach was adopted during the session, allowing students to engage with the resource person and understand the practical challenges involved in developing and presenting startup ideas. The discussion encouraged students to think beyond conventional solutions and explore how creativity and structured problem-solving can contribute to innovation.
The session was particularly relevant for students aspiring to explore entrepreneurship, startups, innovation management and new venture development. It also complemented the objectives of the Startup & Innovation Cell and IIC by creating greater awareness of the journey from idea generation to innovation and entrepreneurship.
Overall, the programme provided students with practical exposure to the innovation process and encouraged them to observe problems around them, generate ideas, evaluate opportunities and think about developing solutions that can create meaningful value.
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Key Outcomes-
? Students gained an understanding of the journey from idea generation to innovation.
? Students were introduced to the importance of identifying real-world problems as the starting point for innovative solutions.
? Participants developed a basic understanding of ideation, idea validation and prototype development.
? Students gained awareness of the startup and incubation ecosystem and the role of incubation support.
? The session encouraged creative thinking, problem-solving and entrepreneurial mindset.
? Students received practical insights into transforming innovative thoughts into structured ideas and potential ventures.
? Participants were encouraged to explore entrepreneurship and innovation as possible avenues for professional development.
? The programme strengthened the objectives of the Startup & Innovation Cell and Institution’s Innovation Council in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among students.
? The interaction provided students with an opportunity to learn from a professional actively engaged in startup incubation and innovation management.