[100 Emerging Women Leaders] How Meenal Majumdar is empowering students with STEM education

Meenal Majumdar’s journey into entrepreneurship began unexpectedly when she volunteered to mentor her daughter’s robotic team in 2017. This turned out to be an eye-opening experience, and inspired her to start The Innovation Story in 2021. The organisation provides students access to immersive STEM education and the power of innovation through experiential learning.

She recalls, “My daughter was the only girl among 40 boys, and watching her, at first hesitant and unsure, slowly gain confidence as she took ownership of tasks was both inspiring and emotional. It wasn't about building a robot but also building her belief in herself and her ability to make an impact.”

To begin with, the team designed a robot to sort and recycle waste, a simple but brilliant idea.

“It was clear to me then that experiential learning could not only teach technical skills but could shift a student’s entire mindset, making them see challenges as opportunities for innovation,” Majumdar says.

After a few years in the corporate world, the electronics engineer pursued an MBA from IIM-Calcutta to explore the “why” behind business decisions, moving from a technical background to see the bigger picture behind a business perspective.

Majumdar’s experience as a mentor to her daughter’s team led to an important realisation—STEM education, particularly through hands-on, project-based learning, teaches more than just technical skills. It empowers students to believe in their ability to solve problems. 

Making STEM education accessible

Majumdar fully understood this during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“During the lockdown, I collaborated with NGOs to provide students from underserved communities with tools and resources for digital learning. Many of them had never touched a computer before. Seeing them not only navigate digital platforms but also create simple programs or design solutions on their own was a moment of awe,” she explains.

The realisation was also stark. For millions of students, particularly in underserved areas, STEM was inaccessible and a far-fetched dream.

This reality led Majumdar to start The Innovation Story (TIS), which provides children from all walks of life with the opportunity to experience the magic of STEM and the power of innovation.  

Its approach is structured around three core pillars—accessibility, personalisation, and experiential learning. 

“We wanted to ensure that our programs reached every student, irrespective of their geographical or economic background. By creating initiatives tailored to urban and rural communities, we are bridging gaps in access to quality STEM education,” she says.

The Innovation Story offers programmes that are customised to cater to each student’s needs and interests, to ensure they learn at their own pace and explore areas that truly excite them. 

“Whether through hands-on projects, robotics competitions, or collaborative team activities, our programs encourage students to think critically and creatively,” she adds.

TIS works closely with schools, NGOs, and corporate partners to extend the reach of its programs and amplify its impact. It collaborates with like-minded organisations to extend STEM education efforts to underserved communities and reach a larger audience.

TIS focuses on immersive STEM education through foundation courses, a Nurturing Innovators Program, TIS Compete that prepares students for international competitions, the National Robotics League, and corporate CSR programmes.

Its target audience includes students, schools, and corporates, offering a tailored range to make STEM education impactful and accessible. It has a pan-India presence with a strong base in Mumbai with two innovation labs that offer students access to tools, mentorship, and an ecosystem of creativity and problem-solving. TIS’ programs are available both offline and online.

“So far, over 10,000 students from Mumbai’s municipal schools have gained digital literacy skills. Under the Amazon Future Engineer Program, 7,000 students discovered the power of coding and computational thinking, while Capgemini’s initiative empowered 1,000 students in Delhi to explore STEM with hands-on projects that built confidence and practical skills,” Majumdar elaborates.

Contribute to solving real-world problems

Majumdar also talks about going beyond the metrics, citing the example of a student from a government school in Mumbai who designed a solar-powered irrigation system. 

“His innovation not only won recognition but also brought tangible change to his village by improving agricultural productivity and livelihoods,” she says. 

In 2022, a FIRST Global Challenge (FGC) team comprising students from underserved communities represented India on the global stage in Geneva and won Gold for International Journey, showcasing the power of determination and mentorship. At the G20 India Summit in 2023, TIS students shared their unique robotics innovations, demonstrating how young minds can contribute to solving real-world problems.

TIS also mentored a rookie robotics team of under-served students who won the Rookie All-Star Award at the FIRST World Championships in 2024. 

“We want to empower one million students by 2030 with skills beyond academics and foster the mindset of creators and problem-solvers. We want every student, whether from a privileged or under-served community, to have the opportunity to innovate, lead, and make their unique mark on the world,” Majumdar says.

She believes being a woman entrepreneur has taught her resilience, adaptability, and the power of community. There have been moments when she was the only woman in boardroom discussions and she had to work twice as hard to prove her credibility. 

Her advice for women entrepreneurs is to dream big but take deliberate and thoughtful steps towards goals.

“Focus on solving real problems, even if they are for a handful of people at first. When you create a genuine impact, growth will follow naturally. Surround yourself with mentors who challenge your assumptions, expand your thinking, and provide guidance based on their journeys,” she concludes.