Young Innovators Programme
Enabling collaborative, contextualised real-world problem solving among students for societal transformation.
Young Innovators Programme (YIP) is an initiative launched by the Government of Kerala in 2018. Conceptualised by Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), YIP equips students and educators with the skills to solve real-world problems collaboratively.
It instils 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication in the youth and fosters a culture of innovation among them. Core methodologies such as Design Thinking, Root Cause Analysis, and collaborative problem-solving enable participants to envision and implement impactful solutions.
YIP works on the quadruple helix model, integrating academia, industry, government, research institutions, and civil society into a cohesive ecosystem. Students address curated real-world problems from government and institutional sources, leveraging advanced IR 4.0 technologies.
The program adopts a hands-on approach through DUI (Doing, Using, Interacting) innovation, enabling participants to analyse root causes and contextualise challenges within socio-economic realities.
Governance
Committees of YIP
Steering Committee
- Director of Technical Education
- Director of Collegiate Education
- Director of Medical Education
- Director of General Education
- Director of Ayurveda Medical Education
- Principal & Controlling Officer, Homeopathy Medical Education
- Principal Secretary (Higher Education)
- Principal Secretary (LSGD), Govt. of Kerala
- Principal Secretary (General Education)
- Additional Chief Secretary (Health & Family Welfare)
- Principal Secretary (Labour & Skills)
- Director of Employment & Training
- Director, SC Department
- Director, ST Department
- Director, Women and Child Department
- Director, Social Justice Department
- Director, Samagra Shiksha Kerala
- CEO, Kerala Startup Mission
- CEO, KITE
- Executive Vice Chairperson, K-DISC
- Member Secretary, K-DISC
- Executive Director (PCDIS), K-DISC
- Programme Head, YIP, K-DISC
Advisory Committee
- Vice Chancellor, Kannur University
- Vice Chancellor, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU)
- Vice Chancellor, University of Calicut (UoC)
- Vice Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU)
- Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS)
- Vice Chancellor, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit
- Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS)
- Vice Chancellor, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)
- Vice Chancellor, National University for Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS)
- Vice Chancellor, MG University
- Vice Chancellor, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU)
- Vice Chancellor, Digital University
- Vice Chancellor, Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University (TEMU)
- Vice Chancellor, University of Kerala (UoK)
- Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kerala
- Vice Chancellor, Deemed University – Kerala Kalamandalam
- Executive Vice Chairperson, K-DISC
- Member Secretary, K-DISC
- Executive Director (PCDIS), K-DISC
- Programme Head, YIP, K-DISC
Innovation Ecosystem
Quadruple Helix Innovation Model
YIP connects academia and research institutions, industry and startups, government, and civil society so that student-led solutions are rooted in real problems and supported by the wider innovation ecosystem.
Launched
2018
Participants
13-37
years of age
Team Size
2-5
members
Who YIP Supports
YIP supports students aged 13 to 37, grouped into four categories. Teams collaboratively address societal challenges, moving from ideation to actionable solutions.
School students from classes 8 to 12
Technical and collegiate students
Medical and allied education streams
Professionals from employment and training sectors
Learning Approach
Spanning one year, YIP offers structured mentorship specialised in new product development using Fuzzy Front End, providing students clarity in innovative product creation, funding, and phased exits.
Programme Journey
From Idea to Impact
From Learning to Societal Change
YIP nurtures Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), transitioning students from fragmented knowledge to holistic problem-solving. By combining immersive learning experiences, mentorship, and exposure to the innovation cycle, YIP transforms students into societal change-makers, ensuring scalability and societal relevance of their innovations.
Some YIP Projects
Following are some of the notable YIP projects over the years.
Lipid-based liquid crystal technology for detecting adulterants in fish
Specialised clothing designed to prevent bedsores
Advanced fumigation device
Value-added products from water hyacinth
Marijuana detector
Pneumatically powered robotic exoskeleton
IoT-enabled concrete maturity meter
Coconut oil-based, eco-friendly bio-resin
Semi-automated natural rubber mixing system
Automatic solar panel cleaning mechanism
Unified mobile app for managing pet health records
Bio-bin for waste processing
Energy-saving cooking vessel
Multi-purpose agriculture vehicle
Aero water maker