Plant Lipids has expanded its EIR 2.0 (Entrepreneurship–Industry–Research / Entrepreneurship-in-Residence 2.0) initiative across leading academic institutions, strengthening its focus on industry–academia collaboration.
The program was recently launched at Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology, where Deputy General Managers Praveen Thomas Abraham and Adithyan K B engaged over 100 engineering students in an interactive session.
Students were introduced to 10 live industry problem statements from Plant Lipids’ spice extraction and food ingredient operations. The challenges covered process optimization, sustainability, automation, quality systems, regulatory compliance, and cost efficiency, encouraging students to apply practical thinking to real manufacturing situations.
On 24th February, EIR 2.0 was also conducted at National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM-Thanjavur). Students explored similar operational challenges, analysing each problem from both technical and commercial perspectives with a focus on feasibility and scalability.
The initiative has also been rolled out at SSN College of Engineering, Chennai where the session saw participation from over 120 students. The interaction was marked by high energy, curiosity, and insightful questions. What stood out was the students’ ability to connect classroom learning with real-world industry challenges—reinforcing the idea that talent is abundant, and that direction and exposure are key to unlocking its potential.
EIR 2.0 has further expanded to Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirappally creating a platform to bridge academic learning with real industry challenges. The initiative enables students to work closely with experienced entrepreneurs, understand practical industry problems, develop innovative solutions, and nurture an entrepreneurial mindset within the campus ecosystem.
The program has also engaged students at TKM College of Engineering, Kollam through interactive sessions, fostering meaningful discussions and exposure to real-world applications. Additionally, expansion efforts include institutions such as Shiv Nadar University, Chennai, further strengthening the initiative’s national footprint.
The initiative has also been extended to Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, where students engaged with industry problem statements and explored solution-oriented approaches, further reinforcing the program’s commitment to nurturing innovation and practical learning across campuses.
Students or teams of up to four members who choose to work on a problem begin with a 3-day bootcamp that provides technical orientation, plant exposure, mentorship alignment, and clarity on deliverables. This is followed by a 6-month residency where they work closely with industry mentors to develop practical, implementation-ready solutions. High-potential teams may be considered for further collaboration based on outcomes and alignment.
With its expansion across institutions including Rajagiri, NIFTEM-Thanjavur, SSN, Amal Jyothi, TKM, Karunya, and Shiv Nadar University, EIR 2.0 continues to build a strong industry–academia platform across engineering colleges in India. Through this initiative, Plant Lipids aims to connect classroom learning with real manufacturing challenges and nurture future-ready engineering talent for the food and spice processing industries.
