Trivandrum: Stepping up efforts to create a future with innovation and entrepreneurship as the key drivers, Kerala capital will be developed into a major digital hub and a premier destination for startups, Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan said.
The Chief Minister was inaugurating India’s biggest beachside startup conclave Huddle Global 2023, a three-day event organised by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) bringing together a wide range of stakeholders, at Adimalathura on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.
The event also saw KSUM exchanging Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Belgium and Australia to set up its Startup Infinity Centres in the two countries, opening up immense opportunities for enterprises from Kerala’s ecosystem to scale up operations and expand market.
Presenting a report on the state’s startup ecosystem, Smt Tinku Biswal, Principal Secretary, Revenue and Housing, Government of Kerala, noted the state now has close to 5000 startups.
KSUM CEO, Anoop Ambika said this edition of Huddle Global assumes added significance due to its choice of venue away from the city, demonstrating the inclusivity of Kerala’s startup ecosystem centred on the idea of “equitable distribution.”
Belgium’s Ambassador to India, Didier Vanderhasselt, who exchanged MOU with KSUM CEO, noted the agreement will lead to KSUM set up its Startup Infinity Centre in Brussels, opening up a vast opportunities for startups from Kerala. Also, rent-free office space for selected startups will be provided for a few months.
Catherine Gallagher, Minister Commercial and Head of Austrade South Asia, said it is significant to note that the MoU with KSUM comes at a time when the ties between India and Australia are marked by a strong and comprehensive strategic partnership. The agreement will also facilitate Kerala Startups to leverage the top class technological and R & D ecosystem of Australia on a wide range of areas.
Now into its fifth edition, Huddle Global 2023 has convergence of around 15,000 delegates from within the country and abroad, besides showcasing cutting-edge products from emerging sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, life sciences, space tech, blockchain, IoT, e-governance, fintech, healthtech, agritech, edutech and SaS from across the country’s ecosystem.
An expo on the sidelines of the event displayed products from 100-plus nascent companies, and provided an opportunity for then to interact with experts from technology and industry for advice on investment opportunities.