Swostik Sourav Dash | How NeoMotion's CEO is Building "Freedom" for Everyone | Ep. 2 | IIT Madras

A shoe that doesn't fit can ruin your day. Now imagine sitting in a wheelchair that doesn't fit - for 10 hours every day, year after year. That's the reality for millions in India. One size fits none, yet that's all we have. Meet the IIT Madras engineer who's changing this. From building a swimming pool lift that brought tears of joy to users, to revolutionizing wheelchair design. But that’s not where it started. It started back in Kharagpur, when a young Swostik was fascinated with science and social-science exhibitions. While other kids didn’t really like project assignments, his eyes would light up at the chance to build something new. The science dream came true when he joined IIT Madras. On just his third day on campus, during a routine call, a senior asked, "Who knows coding?" Swostik raised his hand, but what he said next just can’t be guessed: "I don't want to code. I want to build." And the social science dream did not take long to merge when as a graduate student at IIT Madras, Swostik built his first life-changing device: a swimming pool lift for people with disabilities. "I was amazed by how powerful an impact simple mechanical device actually makes in their life," Swostik recalls. "Everybody came and said 'Thank you, you built this, it has changed so much.” That moment planted a seed that would grow into something much bigger. After a stint at ITC, he made a decision that baffled many: he returned to IIT Madras as a research scholar to work on a standing wheelchair. Travelling across 40 locations in India, he met nearly 200 wheelchair users. Most were trapped inside their homes, some even had job offers but couldn't accept them because they had no way to commute. The problem wasn't just about mobility – it was about independence, dignity, and identity. This realization led to the birth of @neomotionlife, a company dedicated to building customized wheelchairs that could transform lives. Watch as we explore: 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:14 Coming to IIT Madras a dream come true for Swostik the builder 00:08:36 Pitching on Shark Tank 00:09:40 Why custom wheelchairs are needed 00:14:13 Running a for-profit business 00:19:38 How he got to start up in the assistive devices business 00:27:46 Centre for Innovation at IIT Madras 00:31:46 Being Student Head at the Centre of Innovation 00:34:08 Prof Sujatha and R2D2 lab at IIT Madras 00:36:45 Research work leading to successful startups at IIT Madras 00:39:54 Co-founders at NeoMotion 00:41:31 Pressure of getting a high-paying job vs building a startup 00:44:35 Hardware manufacturing in India and what lies ahead for NeoMotion 00:49:32 Journey from engineer to entrepreneur 00:51:11 Entrpreneurship ecosystem and funding support at IIT Madras 00:54:28 Building NeoMotion bootstrapped 00:58:03 Wrap References: NeoMotion- neomotion.in R2D2 Lab, IIT Madras- r2d2.iitm.ac.in NeoMotion pitch at Shark Tank India- https://youtu.be/Kj8rEolug-Q?si=Zcwe2zd8JHTi1Nj9 Centre for Innovation at IIT Madras- cfi.iitm.ac.in To know more about what makes IIT Madras- the Best Place to Build- hit https://www.bestplacetobuild.com/

Swostik Sourav Dashguest

Nov 15, 20241h 5mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: November 15, 2024
Duration: 1h 5m
Channel: Best Place To Build
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

A shoe that doesn't fit can ruin your day. Now imagine sitting in a wheelchair that doesn't fit - for 10 hours every day, year after year. That's the reality for millions in India. One size fits none, yet that's all we have. Meet the IIT Madras engineer who's changing this. From building a swimming pool lift that brought tears of joy to users, to revolutionizing wheelchair design. But that’s not where it started. It started back in Kharagpur, when a young Swostik was fascinated with science and social-science exhibitions. While other kids didn’t really like project assignments, his eyes would light up at the chance to build something new. The science dream came true when he joined IIT Madras. On just his third day on campus, during a routine call, a senior asked, "Who knows coding?" Swostik raised his hand, but what he said next just can’t be guessed: "I don't want to code. I want to build." And the social science dream did not take long to merge when as a graduate student at IIT Madras, Swostik built his first life-changing device: a swimming pool lift for people with disabilities. "I was amazed by how powerful an impact simple mechanical device actually makes in their life," Swostik recalls. "Everybody came and said 'Thank you, you built this, it has changed so much.” That moment planted a seed that would grow into something much bigger. After a stint at ITC, he made a decision that baffled many: he returned to IIT Madras as a research scholar to work on a standing wheelchair. Travelling across 40 locations in India, he met nearly 200 wheelchair users. Most were trapped inside their homes, some even had job offers but couldn't accept them because they had no way to commute. The problem wasn't just about mobility – it was about independence, dignity, and identity. This realization led to the birth of @neomotionlife, a company dedicated to building customized wheelchairs that could transform lives. Watch as we explore: 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:14 Coming to IIT Madras a dream come true for Swostik the builder 00:08:36 Pitching on Shark Tank 00:09:40 Why custom wheelchairs are needed 00:14:13 Running a for-profit business 00:19:38 How he got to start up in the assistive devices business 00:27:46 Centre for Innovation at IIT Madras 00:31:46 Being Student Head at the Centre of Innovation 00:34:08 Prof Sujatha and R2D2 lab at IIT Madras 00:36:45 Research work leading to successful startups at IIT Madras 00:39:54 Co-founders at NeoMotion 00:41:31 Pressure of getting a high-paying job vs building a startup 00:44:35 Hardware manufacturing in India and what lies ahead for NeoMotion 00:49:32 Journey from engineer to entrepreneur 00:51:11 Entrpreneurship ecosystem and funding support at IIT Madras 00:54:28 Building NeoMotion bootstrapped 00:58:03 Wrap References: NeoMotion- neomotion.in R2D2 Lab, IIT Madras- r2d2.iitm.ac.in NeoMotion pitch at Shark Tank India- https://youtu.be/Kj8rEolug-Q?si=Zcwe2zd8JHTi1Nj9 Centre for Innovation at IIT Madras- cfi.iitm.ac.in To know more about what makes IIT Madras- the Best Place to Build- hit https://www.bestplacetobuild.com/

SPEAKERS

Swostik Sourav Dash
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Best Place To Build, featuring Swostik Sourav Dash, Swostik Sourav Dash | How NeoMotion's CEO is Building "Freedom" for Everyone | Ep. 2 | IIT Madras explores neoMotion’s CEO on building personalized mobility and lasting impact systems NeoMotion reframes wheelchairs as personal mobility vehicles that restore independence by simplifying everyday travel for wheelchair users and the elderly.

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