Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management to Inaugurate Mphasis AI & Robotics Lab on May 22…
Mangaluru: Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, in association with Mphasis Foundation, will inaugurate the Mphasis AI & Robotics Lab at its campus on May 22, 2026. The event will be held at 10:00 AM and will be inaugurated by Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka.
The programme will be attended by several distinguished dignitaries including Dr. S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technological University; Ms. Deepa Nagraj, Senior Vice President & Global Head – ESG, Sparkle Innovation Ecosystem and Communications, Mphasis; Mr. Sumit Chauhan, Head CSR, Mphasis Foundation; Mr. Chetan Dixit, Vice President, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM); and Mr. Bhaskar, Regional Director, NASSCOM.
The Mphasis AI & Robotics Lab has been established under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of Mphasis Foundation in collaboration with Sahyadri Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation (SHINE Foundation), KDEM, and NASSCOM. The initiative aims to build a strong co-creation and innovation ecosystem focusing on emerging technologies such as Agentic AI, Robotics, Edge AI, Industrial IoT (IIoT), Cloud Computing, and Automation.
The newly established lab is part of Sahyadri’s Industry-Integrated Workspaces Initiative, which seeks to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and innovation-driven learning. Mphasis Foundation has committed ₹2 crore over four years towards developing advanced infrastructure to support industry-ready talent, startups, and regional technology ecosystems.
The initiative will offer students experiential learning opportunities through live industry projects, innovation challenges, hackathons, and gig-based assignments. Students will gain practical exposure in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & Automation, Embedded Electronics, Spatial Computing, and Software Development while collaborating with industries and startups.
Aligned with the Government of Karnataka’s Beyond Bengaluru initiative, the lab is expected to strengthen regional innovation and position Mangaluru as a growing technology and entrepreneurship hub. Over the next five years, the programme aims to develop a skilled digital workforce in AI/ML, Blockchain, AR/VR, Gaming, Robotics, and other advanced technologies.
The initiative will also support pre-incubation activities, startup mentoring, venture-building opportunities, and MSME-focused problem solving to address real-world industrial and societal challenges.
As part of the inauguration programme, a panel discussion on “AI Preparedness: Bridging Policy, Talent, and Industry” will be conducted with participation from experts representing academia, industry, and innovation ecosystems.
Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management has been actively promoting innovation and entrepreneurship through initiatives such as the Social Innovation Program (SIP), SSTH student innovation programmes, NAIN, ACIC, and KAN acceleration initiatives. The institution currently supports 22 active startups and has produced several Elevate winners and Shark Tank alumni.
The management, faculty, staff, students, and organisers of the institution have invited industry leaders, academicians, media representatives, and the public to attend the inauguration ceremony.
