TinkerHub

Ever since Day 1 of my college life, I kept hearing about TinkerHub . At first, I thought it was just a small group of students on campus hanging out and having fun while building cool stuff. So I thought—why not check it out? With a little push from my now-favorite senior, Akhil B Xavier, I joined my very first hackathon—an exclusive one for first-years called CodeCraft. To my absolute surprise, I, someone who only had a basic understanding of Python back then, WON!! That win still remains one of my biggest motivators to this day. As I got more involved with the community at AISAT, I realized that TinkerHub was far more than just another campus group. Back then, it was already present in 80+ campuses and carried a strong 9-year legacy. Fast forward to May 2024—almost a year ago—another senior, Athul Ratheesh , encouraged me to apply for the Campus Lead Call. Not expecting much, I went ahead and applied. I used to think running a campus community would be easy. Trust me it's not. But the feeling you get after organizing learning sessions, hackathons, meetups, and more? It outweighs everything else. Tho I have been a bit withdrawn from my making lately, I learnt a lot more from hosting events to even mentoring someone individually(something I thought I could never do). Me building something, let it be a simple Flask website or a complex ML project, all the credit goes to someone who Paid-it-forward, and this mindset was a gift from TinkerHub. Hope I could pay it twice as much to someone else. #tinkerhub #makermindset #payitforward

✨ As this year's TinkerHub Campus Community journey comes to an end... I can’t help but pause and reflect. ✨ From being a participant in Tink-Her-Hack 2.0 last year to becoming the organizer of Tink-Her-Hack 3.0 this year—as the Campus Lead of TinkerHub CEMP—what a journey it has been. One that was not always easy, but absolutely worth it. There were challenges. There were setbacks.But through it all, there was a support system so rooted in honesty, trust, and pure intention—it never let me fall. It held me up, pushed me forward, and helped me become stronger with each step. Thank you, TinkerHub , for believing in me. For giving me the space to grow, to try, to fail, to rise, and to lead.This journey taught me about resilience, leadership, and the power of community. To Abid Aboobaker , Meher Pentapati , Arundhathi Krishna , and Kurian Jacob —you’ve been such a constant. Your support, your strength, your presence made it easy. A very special thanks to Deepa Miss, our TinkerHub Faculty Coordinator. Your trust and quiet strength gave us the confidence to keep going. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to move forward. To our respected Principal, Roobin Varghese sir ,Thank you for all the permissions, every encouragement, and for simply believing in us. You gave us the wings to fly. To Anith Krishnan Sir and Dr. Suresh Kumar N Sir, your constant support and guidance gave us the courage to take bold steps. And to all the incredible leads of TinkerHub, those endless brainstorming, the shared struggles and small victories—those moments made us who we are. And now… the heart of it all—our Core Team. 💙 TinkerHub CEMP wouldn’t be what it is without this team. -> Vivek Venugopal , our Media Lead—your creativity lit up every screen. -> Chaithra Ajith, Women-In-Tech Lead—your passion and drive were electric especially doing O-Pen-Mike. -> Aliyya Saiju , my Co-Lead—you were the balance. We stayed up late, worked through the stress, laughed through the chaos, and created something truly beautiful together. Also, a huge shoutout to Vishnu T V, Adithyan P, and Risikesh Krishna—you three poured your hearts into the media side of things, and it showed in every single detail. There are so many names I may not have mentioned, but to each and every one who supported us, guided us, stood by us—thank you. Thank you for being part of this collective growth. As this chapter closes, I’m with more than I ever expected—lessons, growth, bonds, and memories that will last a lifetime. 🌿 With gratitude, strength, and a heart full of hope—signing off this season of TinkerHub. #TinkerHub #LeadershipJourney #Gratitude #WomenInTech #CEMPTinkerHub #TinkHerHack #CommunityPower #TogetherWeGrow #CampusLead #TechForGood

Ohhh check out TinkerSpace Kochi front TV!

>>While Vinita and I were at TinkerHub at Kalamasseri, we talked with the team members who were present on a holiday about the work they do. Those who come to TinkerHub download an app that records their arrival and departure, and the time they spend there, as well as the facilities they use. They are free to come and go at any time, and I recall they said that the place is open round the clock 24x7! That is why they are particular about the locality, since young women too are part of the cohort and safety is a major consideration. >>In TinkerSpace during 2023-24, 119 events were held, 3059 'makers' visited the place, and there were 13,146 checkins. These numbers would have grown during the next year, and will keep growing year by year. At TinkerHub, out of the 6248 makers, 3755 were female! There were 103 events during the year, with 230 mentors, and 718 people involved in projects. TinkerHub had 21,543 members, of which 8847 were female. Out of the members, 18051 were students, and 3491 professionals. Membership is distributed across all districts ranging from a high of 3149 in Ernakulam and a low of 222 in Wyanad. >>TinkerHub extends its reach by conducting campus events. In 2023-24 156 campus events were conducted, that covered all districts, with a high of 31 in Ernakulam and a low of 1 in Kasargod, the average being 10. This is reflected in the district wise participation of students, with a high of 1599 in Ernakulam and a low of 15 in Kasargod, with the average hovering around 300+. >>An interesting event hosted bye TinkerHub during that year was Open NyAI by Agami held on 28 July-01 Aug 2023. 'This brought together leading experts in law, justice, and technology to brainstorm ideas for leveraging AI to improve access to justice across India. With a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, over 30 entrepreneurs and innovators from India, the UK, and the Netherlands participated aiming to address critical challenges in law and justice through AI innovation.' The feedback from the leaders of Open NyAI and other experts from participating organisations like JP Morgan, Microsoft, and Zerodha was very positive and they have promised to be back for more such Annual Maker Residency events. >>I urge all innovators and experts in any domain to visit TinkerHub and see how they can participate in what is happening there. Moosa Mehar MPAbid AboobakerReema ShajiAnoop AmbikaElizabeth Puthran B R B PuthranC. PadmakumarAju JacobShalini WarrierManian KVSRashmi PoojaraDr. Nithish T JacobAjayan K AnatAnil BalanAnooja BashirSindhu AugustineDr.Mini Sekharan

>>Yesterday, Vinita and I visited the TinkerHub incubator and Maker Space at Kalamasseri, adjacent to the CUSAT campus. Housed in a former warehouse, the space provides facilities for people to come and work to develop their ideas into products. We were there on the invitation of some of the founders who had contacted us a few times at meetings at Kozhikode and other places. >>This is the message I got recently from Mehar: "I wanted to meet you and share some ideas, hear some perspectives for a long time. It really solidified post 'Under the Radar' and the TrueCopyThink interviews. We believe in the same dreams and for the last decade we worked towards enabling/creating technology makers from the state. We wish to have an offline conversation whenever possible. Thank you for bringing the positive trust in the possibilities of Kerala, it inspires a lot of people like us who work towards that dream every day". >>It was difficult to resist such a message, and here we were on Good Friday, a holiday, at TinkerHub where young people were at work on their respective ideas. The space was well laid out, with work stations provided for people to place their laptops or pads, and start work. There was a zone where 3D printing equipment was available, and another where electronics tool kits provided for those wishing to tinker with those. There was a shelf with books for young people to take time off and browse and get new ideas. >>The mezzanine provided enough space for gatherings of 40-50 with projection, and other basic facilities. I was impressed at the vision that went into building this space, and the passion that helped power it daily. This was clearly working, as we were told that on an average day, about 40-50 engineering students from the nearby CUSAT campus would walk in, and start working on their ideas. There were no restrictions or charges, and the students appeared to follow some rules that enabled the place to become a hub for thinking and experimenting. >>We were joined by Moosa Mehar, co-founder and CEO, Abid Aboobaker, and Reema Shaji from Malappuram who had completed her engineering, and became part of the team as Project Manager, Tinker Space. The team includes Kurian Jacob COO, Arundhati Krishna Program Manager, Johnson Regi Operations Officer, and others who were not there since it was a holiday. >>I have visited many incubators and maker spaces, but am impressed by the sense of openness and positive energy emanating from this space, reflected in the good number of students who showed up even on a holiday. Too many incubators and maker spaces have restrictive rules, don't work on holidays, and close at 5 pm! We need more such spaces, and plan to support these young people in setting up more TinkerHubs across the state. Moosa Mehar MPAbid AboobakerReema ShajiSindhu AugustineDr.Mini SekharanRajesh NavaneethamAshwin MaheshAju JacobDr Geemon KorahAnooja BashirSreekumar K. NairDr.Sreekumar PillaiP Rajeev

We are CLOSING TODAY! Have you applied yet??? After an incredible year of learning, building and spreading whole lot of joy, TinkerHub has received hundreds of enquiries on how to start a community in campuses. And guess what? We have the applications for TinkerHub Campus Program open and live and so far received an overflowing response. Incase you missed all our calls and campaigns, this is a reminder! We are closing the registrations today. Check out wiki.tinkerhub.org, go through and apply if you find yourself a great fit, or share with your peeps inside and outside your campus who might be. PS: Nope, we are not restricting to engineering colleges. Arts and Science, Polytechnic, Management....whatever you do, TinkerHub can be yours too. 💗 #TinkerHub #TinkerHubCampus #CampusCommunity #TinkerHub2025 #TinkerHubLead #TinkerHubKerala #CampusOfTheMonth #MakerOfTheMonth #BeThePush #BuddyCampaign #CampusLife #CollegeVibes #StudentLeaders #CollegeReels #KeralaColleges #StudentCommunity #LearnBuildGrow #PeerLearning #TechForGood #LeadershipInAction #StudentInnovation #MakersOfTomorrow #ThisCouldBeYou #MyCampusMyStory #TagYourBuddy #ChangeStartsHere #LeadWithPurpose

Women Makers Celebration 2025 recognized the accomplishments and honoured the efforts of top 200 participants of Kerala’s Largest Women-only Hackathon. Tink-Her-Hack 3.0 organized with the support of AnitaB.org India, IEDC Kerala, IEEE WIE Kerala and Kerala Startup Mission gave an opportunity for women makers to showcase their talents and gain an exposure to the world technology. The opening address by Madhuri D Madhavanpillai filled the audience with excitement and emphasized on the importance of celebrating women. Following the opening remarks was the first panel of the day titled – ‘Showcase like a Pro: How to present your builds effectively’. The panel led by Aksa Rose had Rohit TP, MUHAMMAD S. , Cerin Sara Santhosh and Salman Faris who related their experiences about how the way of presentation affects the impressions made. The fireside chat ‘Beyond TinkerHub: Expanding Your Impact and Opportunities’ with Irene Anna Kurien, Ann Philip, Ananya R, Juliana Biju moderated by Reema Shaji threw light upon the power of community that builds long lasting connections. Varsha Shaheen and Abid Aboobaker energized the afternoon by sharing their journey on ‘From Ideas to Impact: Learning, Building, and Thriving as a Maker’ and giving priceless advices to all the makers. Running in parallel was ‘How to Build Cool Stuff’ that featured the Maker of the Month awardees of the past 4 months. The makers Noel George C J, Rishi Krishna S, Yan Chummar Mathen and Devadath PR had interesting and unique stories that gripped the amazement of those present. The celebration drew to a close with the Project presentations and the awaited Awards ceremony. The top four teams of Tink-Her-Hack 3.0 were awarded scholarships and mentorship opportunities that would aid them in their pursuits. The top 10 teams of the hackathon were also awarded for their achievements. The invaluable exchange of knowledge that was prevalent throughout the sessions affirmed the aspiration that lie at the heart of every maker, the same motto that echoed through the clip ‘The TinkerHub Story’ – to keep knowledge open and accessible to all. #TinkHerHack #InspiringJourneys #Speakers #TechForAll #Innovation #WomenEmpowerment #WomenInTech #DigitalSkills #InternationalWomensDay #TechImpact #Kerala #Hackathon #Speakers #Leadership #Mentor #ProjectPresentation #Awards #Scholarship #Opportunities #Networking #Connections #Advice #Community #LearningPath #TechInnovation #TeamWork #Collaboration #Mentorship

I froze the first time I had to speak in front of a stage. Last month, I led our college to win 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗛𝘂𝗯. But this story started with a fear. In my first year, someone handed me a mic and asked me to introduce myself in front of an audience. I panicked. My hands were shaking. My voice cracked. I stumbled over every word. Some people laughed. Some supported it. But all I wanted was to disappear from there. That moment stayed with me. The truth? - I was good at tech. - I loved coding. I built projects. But I had no idea how to speak, lead, or show up in front of people. I avoided the stage. I avoided the spotlight. I stayed behind the screen. Then one day, I saw a WhatsApp message: TinkerHub is hiring campus leads. That moment flashed back in my head. I didn’t know what a campus lead even did. But something inside me said:  “𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘁.” So I applied. And I got selected. TinkerHub is one of Kerala’s largest tech communities—36 campuses, 15,000+ makers. And now I was leading the chapter at EMEA College. But I still had no idea what I was doing. ▪️ How do I build a team? ▪️ How do I run a community? ▪️ Where do I even start? Then came the 3-day Wayanad camp. Mentors. Founders. Campus leaders from across Kerala. That weekend changed everything. I understood the mission. I came back with purpose. With confidence. We built a small team. Held meetings. Shared ideas. Planned events. Learned by doing. And in one year, we ran 𝟭𝟯+ 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Some of my proudest: 🟣 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸—The first 24-hour girls-only intercollege hackathon conducted in the history of my college. 🟣 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁—a 12-hour hackathon focused on fun and creativity. 🟣 Design workshops, coding sessions, and more 𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲—𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁. 𝟭𝟬𝟬+ 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝟮𝟳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 And now, 1 year later, that guy who couldn’t hold a mic… He leads a community. He speaks without shaking. He connects with people who make him better. He builds things he once thought were impossible. All because of 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗜 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲; 𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Thank you, TinkerHub, for giving me this opportunity. Thanks for changing my life. Check my comments to see the highlights of our events👇. For those interested in opening a TinkerHub chapter in your college. Apply here: https://bit.ly/thcampus25 Application closes on April 15th.

A year ago, I wouldn’t have imagined writing something like this. Becoming the Campus Lead of TinkerHub LBSITW was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever signed up for. And still, one of the most meaningful. We didn’t start off with all the answers. Just a shared intent: to build a culture where students weren’t afraid to explore, try, mess up, and try again. But doing that wasn’t easy. There were a lot of moving parts—getting people to show up, convincing them that this was more than “just another event,” dealing with low energy, juggling college workload, and still figuring out how to keep the momentum going. But we kept showing up. And over time, people started showing up with us. "Useless Projects" was a turning point for us—an overnight make-a-thon where we said, “build whatever you want, even if it makes no sense.” That one was pure magic. It wasn’t about perfect products or flashy demos. It was about fun, chaos, creativity, and giving people the freedom to explore without the usual pressure. Then came "Tink-Her-Hack 3.0"—a women-only hackathon that gave space for bold ideas and first-time builders. For many, it was their first real tech experience, and they walked away with confidence and curiosity. That was the goal. We also ran online learning sessions that created space for people to learn together, ask questions, and figure things out—no gatekeeping, no pressure. And somewhere in the middle of all this, the shift began. The conversations changed. The vibe changed. People got curious. TinkerHub changed the way I look at learning. It made me realize that community-led learning is powerful, and that knowledge doesn’t need a classroom—it just needs people who care enough to share. To the TinkerHub community—thank you for creating a space that’s so open, raw, and welcoming. And to my core team, Iris Mariah Kurien, Fiza Fathima, Leya Susan Riboy, Keerthana Manoj and all the volunteers—thank you for sticking through all the chaos, late nights, last-minute plans, and building this with me. This was never a one-person job. Being a campus lead? Not easy. But it gave me growth, connection, and a front-row seat to real change. If you’ve ever wished your campus had that kind of energy—more curiosity, more kindness, more room to build—this is your sign. 📢 Applications to be a TinkerHub Campus Lead are open till April 15: https://bit.ly/thcampus25

The 1 year journey with TinkerHub comes to an End! I was told, "How can a person having no technical skills become a Leader of such a technically driven community? 🤔 " Today, I can proudly say that TinkerHub MEC is one of the top-leading Communities that has inspired many students to become makers ☺️ . I realized that it requires a lot more patience, giving a sense of belonging to my people, and Care along with technical or managerial skills. I was selected as campus lead of TinkerHubmec after a huge drama 😂 . Everyone was lil bit confused and said, "How did you become the Campus lead?! It was Kurian Jacob, Arundhathi Krishna, Abid Aboobaker, and Anju Mohan who gave me the confidence to move forward. Selection of the core teammates was the next biggest task for me!' Luckily, I GOT THE BEST!!. I got the best team members that MEC could have, and they are the reason for the growth of this community in MEC. i Can't thank enough Aaron George Abraham (Co-lead), Eshaan Abdulkalam (Out-reach Lead), Anjali Krishna(Co-lead), Midhun Unni(Events-Lead), Pranav M(Tech-Lead), Arjun Shankar PS(Design Lead), Drishya Ajith(speakers and workshops Lead), Theertha Avinash(WIT Lead),Jahfar jamal, Joel K George, Sruthi M B (Content-Lead). Without these people, I couldn't have pulled this off. Winter Camp, exclusively for Campus leads, was another mesmerizing event in my life. Most importantly, the atmosphere, the food, the culture, and the activities were so amazing. The ideal goal for this winter camp was to make a connection with the other campus leads as well as knowing more about this community and self learning. We had a strong Community for Women Makers inside the Campus itself. within 24hrs of making the community, it crossed 500+ participants in the group itself! The Open Mic series and Tink-Her-Hack 3.0 was a HIT!!. Arundhathi Krishna was the master mind behind all these activities! Special mention to Thertha, Drishyaa, Anjali, Asalaksmi, Sephan Chacko, Priya M for building such an amazing community. TinkerHub will always have a special place in my heart. The transition from being a volunteer to becoming a Campus lead has shaped me a lot. Cheers to more joy, more education, more laughter, and more magic in the community. 😄 It's revolutionary to watch people create amazing things and share their knowledge, and I have no doubt that the upcoming generation of community builders will further refine this.