Day one of the 2023 edition of the Huddle Global conclave saw the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) exchanging MoUs with Australia and Belgium for opening ‘Startup Infinity’ centres in the two countries.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, inaugurating the three-day event organised by the KSUM as a ‘beachside startup fest’ at Adimalathura, near Vizhinjam, said initiatives such as Startup Infinity would bring together local entrepreneurs, business leaders, and non-resident Keralites in collaborative projects.
“This inclusive approach not only fosters innovation but also welcomes the participation of the global Malayali community in our mission to nurture start-ups and drive progress,” Mr. Vijayan said. The inclusive approach, he said, fostered innovation while encouraging Malayali diaspora to nurture start-ups.
KSUM CEO Anoop Ambika exchanged the MoUs with Ambassador of Belgium to India Didier Vanderhasselt and Catherine Gallagher, Minister, Commercial, and Head of Austrade, South Asia. (Austrade is short for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission.)
KSUM’s Startup Infinity programme encourages the NRI community to launch start-ups. The centres, the first of which was opened in Dubai, are designed to serve as one-stop destinations across the world to strengthen the State’s ecosystem for nascent companies.
Mr. Vijayan said the government had started work on establishing an ‘Emerging Technology Startup Hub’ in Thiruvananthapuram for developing the State capital as the digital hub of Kerala.
Various government initiatives, including the innovation and entrepreneurship development centres for colleges, young innovators programme, incubation and acceleration programmes, and corporate innovation efforts collectively positioned Kerala as the premier destination for start-ups in the country, he said.
Mr. Vanderhasselt, Belgian Ambassador, said the KSUM would be able to open a Startup Infinity Centre in Brussels under the MoU. Rent-free office space would be offered to selected start-ups for a few months.
Ms. Gallagher said Australia and India had ample opportunities to work together in the tech start-up space given the bilateral relations between the two countries. The rapidly growing start-up ecosystem in Australia was underpinned by world-class universities and R&D.
The KSUM exchanged an MoU with the State Bank of India (SBI) for providing financial services to start-ups. SBI Deputy General Manager Rana Ashuthosh Kumar Singh said the agreement would offer start-ups a wide range of banking and other financial services.
The three-day meet, dubbed India’s biggest beachside startup conclave, is expected to see participation by 15,000 delegates. It showcases products from emerging sectors, including robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, life sciences, space tech, blockchain, IoT and e-governance from across India.
Tinku Biswal, Principal Secretary (Revenue), presided. Shashi Tharoor, MP. delivered the keynote address. The event also features an expo showcasing products of over 100 companies.
