EduConnect

Kilowott Strengthens Industry-Academia Collaboration Through Interactive Campus Roadshows Across Goa


Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Kilowott, the Goa-based global digital transformation firm, recently completed a series of interactive campus roadshows across some of the state’s leading colleges, marking a significant step forward in strengthening industry-academia engagement. The initiative was designed to familiarize students with real-world recruitment practices, assessment processes and evolving career opportunities in the IT and technology sectors. Through a combination of interactive sessions, logical reasoning tests and psychometric assessments, students received practical exposure to the expectations and demands of the modern digital workplace.

During these engagements, Kilowott signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with St. Xavier’s College and the Goa College of Arts, reinforcing the company’s commitment to building long-term academic partnerships. These MoUs pave the way for workshops, training programs, internships and potential placement avenues, creating structured pathways for students to connect with industry needs. The roadshows collectively engaged more than 700 students across campuses including St. Xavier’s College, Don Bosco College of Engineering, Goa University, S.R.I.E.I.T College Shiroda, PCCE Verna, AITD Assagao and the Goa College of Arts. Faculty participation played an essential role in facilitating meaningful discussions between academic leaders and the Kilowott team on the alignment of curriculum with contemporary industry standards.

The high turnout at institutions such as AITD Assagao, which hosted 149 students, and Don Bosco College of Engineering, with 103 participants, reflected the growing interest among students in understanding recruitment dynamics, employability skills and the broader landscape of the digital economy. Students from varied disciplines—including Computer Engineering, IT, Electronics and Telecommunication, BBA, BCA, Mass Communication, MCA, MSc Data Science and Fine Arts—benefited from the initiative. Many expressed appreciation for the company’s focus on mentorship, leadership development and design-driven digital solutions.

Faculty members, including Vanessa Zita Furtado, Ruella D’Souza, Dr. Norman Dias, Teja Kundaikar, Prof. Manjusha Sanke, Razia de Loyola Furtado e Sardinha and Prof. Maria Ferreira, supported the sessions, further enriching the experience by enabling active dialogue on industry readiness and academic enhancement. Kilowott also held exploratory meetings with representatives from Don Bosco College Panjim and Parvatibai Chowgule College to discuss future collaborations.

The company highlighted that these roadshows are part of its broader DRIVE initiative—Develop, Ready, Inspire, Validate and Empower—an effort dedicated to preparing students for the rapidly evolving demands of the digital era. By combining industry insights with hands-on learning, Kilowott aims to bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring that Goa’s future workforce is equipped with the skills, confidence and exposure needed to thrive in a technology-driven global environment. Headquartered in Goa and operating across Asia, North America and Europe, Kilowott continues to partner with governments, Fortune 500 companies and startups worldwide to deliver digital strategy, development and design expertise. Its ongoing engagement with academic institutions reflects a long-term commitment to nurturing talent and empowering students with meaningful opportunities for growth and success.

EduConnect

From a Goan Garage to a National Award: How Bodhami is Redefining Career Guidance in India


Panaji, Goa – July 2025

In a landmark achievement for Goa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Bodhami, an AI-powered career guidance and skilling platform, has been selected among India’s Top 30 Startups by Startup India – DPIIT, from a pool of over 200,000 startups, and awarded the National Startup Award for Rural Impact in the Access to Open Education category.

This makes Bodhami the first and only Goan startup to receive such a distinction at the national level.

🚀 Humble Roots, Bold Vision

Founded in 2018 in a small garage by Damodar Pai Patnekar, an ex-Wipro digital leader, along with IIT–IIM alumnus Ashutosh Sankar and tech architect Aarthy Vasan, Bodhami set out with a mission: to make career guidance and employability accessible, personalised, and affordable—especially for rural and underserved populations.

Damodar’s personal “trigger point” came after 15 years in corporate leadership roles when he realised that over 70% of working professionals were unhappy, and more than 55% of fresh graduates were unemployable. The problem, he believed, began with a lack of career awareness at the right time—typically classes 10 and 12.

“We asked ourselves: What if students could receive truly personalised guidance early on? What if AI could map their strengths to careers, and then help them upskill accordingly?” says Damodar.

🧠 Technology with a Purpose

Bodhami’s platform uses AI and real-world professional data to generate career paths, skill gap assessments, and learning recommendations tailored to individual users. Unlike generic counselling, Bodhami focuses on contextual, data-backed insights.

From career discovery and scholarships to corporate preparedness and job placement, Bodhami addresses the full spectrum of career building.

🌎 National & Global Impact

With its HQ in Goa and operations in over 350 Indian cities and 9 countries, Bodhami has:

  • Empowered 100,000+ students and professionals
  • Conducted 300–400 sessions yearly across India
  • Trained 700+ teachers on career counselling using its AI tool
  • Conducted state-wide career programs across 250+ schools in Goa
  • Delivered over 3,000 scholarships to underprivileged youth

It also partnered with Goa State Innovation Council (GSInC) to launch Innovation Test, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the state.

🏆 Awards & Recognition

Bodhami’s recognitions include:

  • National Startup Award – Rural Impact (Open Education)
  • SKOCH Award for rural development
  • Tally MSME Champions of Change
  • IT Educator Award – Govt. of Goa
  • Selected for India–Sweden Innovation Day, VivaTech Paris, SCO Startup Showcase, and INFINITY – Indo-French startup exchange

Recognised by Asia Pacific Career Development Association (APCDA) and IAAP


🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Powered by People

Bodhami is built by a lean core team of 10 professionals working remotely, and supported by:

  • 5,000+ certified counsellors
  • 200+ franchise partners
  • 100+ global affiliates

Together, this ecosystem ensures that career guidance reaches even the remotest students in India.

🌱 A Message for Future Entrepreneurs

“If someone from a remote Goan village can build a national award-winning platform, then anyone with commitment and passion can do it,” Damodar shares.
“Entrepreneurship teaches what textbooks can’t—resilience, empathy, and purpose.”

Bodhami’s journey is more than a startup story—it’s a movement for a better future, where every student has the guidance and tools to build a career they love.

📍 Headquartered in Goa
🏆 India’s Top 30 Startups – Startup India
🌍 Reach: 350+ cities | 9 countries
🎯 Mission: Empower 10 million lives in 5 years