This note talks about an avenue created for supporting projects in the category of technology demonstrators. Such projects will be chiefly student-driven with the mentorship of one or more faculty. These projects would have a strong component of design as well as synthesis. System integration followed by performance evaluation is the key. Modern devices can seldom be classified along departmental lines. Consequently, development of a complex technology will necessarily be inter-disciplinary with (possibly) the participation of the industry. The idea follows recent activity within IIT Kanpur that aims at launching a nano-satellite with assistance from ISRO Bangalore. Several initiatives by student groups (example, Team-Power) show that there is interest in an institutional support. We also hope that our students would use this opportunity to organize themselves and plan on participation in international competitions such as solar-driven automobiles and autonomous vehicles. The expenses related to this activity will be borne from Institute resources.

1. A budget of Rs 1-2 crores is envisaged on a yearly basis, with suitable augmentation in the future.
2. A total of 2-3 projects would be supported every year for a maximum period of two years.
3. Projects would be selected from detailed proposals submitted to the Institute. They would be reviewed by a panel of experts, including some from outside the Institute, if necessary. The topicality and excitement of the proposal would be the primary factor guiding its selection for financial support.
4. Proposals would ideally be inter-disciplinary. They would be developed by a team of students and faculty from within the Institute.
5. The investigators would have considerable flexibility in using the money, subject to approval by the expert committee. However, financial management of the project would be the responsibility of the faculty.
6. Projects funded by the Institute would be carefully monitored. A working proto-type will be the bare minimum expected as the outcome of the project.