The IIT Madras Story: Where Ideas Became Innovation
From student sketches to India's most promising child-safety AI startup.
The Start of Something Bold
When SlateMate was selected for the IIT Madras Nirmaan Pre-Incubation Program, it wasn't just validation — it was acceleration. What began as a dream in a dorm room now had the backing of one of India's top innovation ecosystems.
Mentorship That Mattered
At IIT-M, our founders met mentors who challenged every assumption — about scalability, user trust, and ethical AI. The focus wasn't just on building technology, but building responsibly. Our "Harmful to Harmless" content-redirection model took shape here, guided by professors and researchers who believed AI could be as compassionate as it is capable.
Research Meets Reality
Through access to labs, mentorship sessions, and technical grants, we refined our algorithms to detect unsafe content, measure emotional sentiment, and redirect users to safer alternatives — all in real time.
The Broader Impact
This collaboration gave SlateMate a foundation in both academic excellence and real-world relevance — helping us emerge as one of India's most credible voices in AI for child safety.
Reflection
IIT Madras didn't just incubate our startup — it incubated our purpose.