Start-up ecosystems are emerging rapidly worldwide. The speed of technology innovation and the diversity of business ideas keep the start-up landscape in constant flux. While many emerging start-ups are in the areas of electronics and information sciences, the field of mechanical engineering has huge potential that has yet to be exploited. Today’s mechanical engineering students need to be well positioned to recognize and seize potential start-up opportunities. This study examines the involvement of Indian mechanical engineering students in campus start-ups and the challenges they face in nascent entrepreneurship. Structural equation modelling was applied to a sample of 396 final-year undergraduate mechanical engineering students from the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University in Kerala. Data collection was achieved through a questionnaire developed on the basis of existing literature, feedback and market research. The findings highlight the currently prevailing barriers and best practices, and recommendations are derived for leveraging the nascent entrepreneurship potential of the mechanical engineering discipline. The negative effects of the barriers are positively moderated by the activities of campus-based entrepreneurship centres. The study results provide insights into the role of universities, higher education departments and government agencies in promoting a sustainable campus start-up culture through entrepreneurial learning.

新兴的生态系统正在全球范围内迅速兴起。技术创新的速度和经营理念的多样性使初创企业不断变化。尽管许多新兴的新兴企业都在电子和信息科学领域，但机械工程领域具有巨大的潜力，尚待开发。当今的机械工程专业学生必须处于良好的位置，以认识并抓住潜在的创业机会。这项研究调查了印度机械工程专业学生在校园初创企业中的参与度以及他们在新生创业中面临的挑战。结构方程模型应用于来自喀拉拉邦APJ Abdul Kalam技术大学的396名机械科学专业的本科生的样本。数据收集是通过在现有文献，反馈和市场研究的基础上开发的调查表实现的。研究结果突出了当前存在的障碍和最佳实践，并提出了一些建议，以利用机械工程学科的新兴创业潜力。这些障碍的负面影响通过校园创业中心的活动得到了积极的缓解。研究结果提供了有关大学，高等教育部门和政府机构在通过创业学习促进可持续的校园创业文化中的作用的见解。并提出了利用机械工程学科新生的创业潜力的建议。这些障碍的负面影响通过校园创业中心的活动得到了积极的缓解。研究结果提供了有关大学，高等教育部门和政府机构在通过创业学习促进可持续的校园创业文化中的作用的见解。并提出了利用机械工程学科新生的创业潜力的建议。这些障碍的负面影响通过校园创业中心的活动得到了积极的缓解。研究结果提供了有关大学，高等教育部门和政府机构在通过创业学习促进可持续的校园创业文化中的作用的见解。