Technology start-up incubator T-Hub, prototyping centre T-Works and the IMAGE Tower focused on multimedia, animation, gaming and entertainment will constitute the world’s largest innovation campus in Hyderabad.
Totally, there will be 2.3 million sq ft built-up space that will be developed in the 18-acre campus in the heart of the city’s IT Hub. “I see this panning out over the next 18-24 months,” IT and Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao said in an interaction after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurated the new, second phase building of T-Hub on Tuesday.
The T-Hub facility, with a built-up space of 5.8 lakh sq ft, is one component of the campus. “There is T-Works, India’s largest prototyping facility, which will be inaugurated in August,” he said.
The IMAGE Tower will be the largest with 1.6 million sq ft built-up area. “Once that is up and running, you will have a lot more activity,” he said, adding multimedia, animation and gaming are growth sectors that will create wealth for the State and country and most importantly employment opportunities.
Together, more than 3,000 start-ups are expected to be working from the campus. “A lot of cross pollination of ideas will happen... it is going to be a brilliant opportunity for Telangana youngsters,” Mr. Rama Rao said.
On T-Hub 2.0, to which more than 200 start-ups now at the first phase will be shifting next month, the Minister said one of the highlights of the new facility will be a dedicated floor for venture capital firms. The Minister said access to capital is key for growth of start-ups and hence it has been decided to create a VC lounge at T-Hub. “We are talking to multiple VCs. Some have already expressed interest [in setting up office] or coming once every three months and listening to the pitches [of start-ups],” he said.
Besides VCs, unicorns have also pledged support by way of hand-holding the local start-ups. Stating that the senior leadership of over 20 unicorns participated in the T-Hub 2.0 inauguration, Mr. Rama Rao said, “Everyone who came in was mighty impressed with infrastructure, not just of T-Hub, but even the infrastructure of the city. They were more than happy to consider our request for setting up a future output or a new vertical here. Some of them also agreed for mentoring... a huge shot in the arm.”
Over the next five years, T-Hub will pursue a target to assist as many as 20,000 start-ups, especially in helping shape sustainable business models, enterprises that have operational profitability and continue to grow and thrive.
