ASUS India, VIDYA Foundation Host Tech Fest 2026, Inaugurate Tinkering Lab
Students from ASUS-supported schools converged at VIDYA Tech Fest 2026 to unveil a wave of grassroots tech projects—capping months of structured digital learning and hands-on experimentation. The showcase coincided with the launch of a dedicated Tinkering Lab at VIDYA’s Powai center, set up in collaboration with ASUS India and inaugurated by Eric Ou, South Asia Regional Director at ASUS India.
A workspace built for making
The new Tinkering Lab is designed as a build-first playground where learners can test ideas and prototype across electronics, coding, Arduino, Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics. The facility marks a shift for the ASUS India–VIDYA Foundation partnership, broadening its long-running digital literacy efforts into experiential, project-based learning that encourages curiosity and confidence through creation.
From bootcamps to classroom builds
This year’s fest served as the end point for a learning arc that started with a two-day Tinkering Bootcamp in March and a Summer Camp in April. After those intensives, students continued refining projects in classrooms, blending theory with practical build time. By the time they hit the festival floor, teams were ready with interactive demos spanning AI, robotics, Arduino-powered solutions, Scratch-based creations, STEM problem-solving, and broader digital innovation.
Tinkering goes mainstream in the curriculum
The initiative builds on VIDYA’s Tinkering Clubs active across ASUS-partner schools. Following a successful pilot, tinkering has been woven into VIDYA’s Digital Literacy curriculum for Classes 5 through 9 for the 2026–27 academic year, ensuring more learners get structured exposure to making and iterative design at an early stage.
What leaders are saying
Speaking at the inauguration, Eric Ou underscored that technology education cuts deeper when students move beyond concepts and into application—turning ideas into prototypes and bridging classroom learning with real-world problem-solving. The Tech Fest, he noted, exemplifies how systematic digital education can nurture creativity and spark self-belief in young learners.
Reach and resources
- Over the past year, the ASUS India–VIDYA Foundation partnership has supported more than 12,000 children and 650 youth across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa.
- Digital awareness initiatives have also engaged upward of 1,100 women.
- The program currently spans 19 active projects, delivered through computer labs and ASUS Vivobooks, and covers foundational computing, Office tools, programming, digital safety, and AI literacy.
Why this matters for the next wave of makers
Hands-on labs like the one launched in Powai act as springboards for learners to move from passive consumption to active creation. For students interested in fields such as robotics, coding, and emerging tech, the space offers the tools and structure to test, fail, iterate, and ultimately build something that works. That habit—of learning by doing—is core to future-ready skills, whether a student later explores software development, hardware design, or even interactive media disciplines.
Looking ahead
With the Tinkering Lab now open, ASUS India and VIDYA Foundation aim to widen access to practical STEM experiences for students from underserved communities. The plan is straightforward: keep the pipeline from digital literacy to hands-on building open and active, so that more learners can translate classroom knowledge into tangible projects—and see their ideas come alive.
