ABU DHABI:

The Kerala Pavilion at Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), was inaugurated by Secretary Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Rajesh Kumar Singh, in the presence of Indian Ambassador to UAE Sunjay Sudhir, Lulu group chairman MA Yusuff Ali, and KS Srinivas, principal secretary-tourism, Government of Kerala on May 8.

 
The Annual Investment Meeting, organised by the AIM Foundation, kicked off on May 8, 2023, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE. Under the theme of “The Investment Paradigm Shift: Future Investment Opportunities to Foster Sustainable Economic Growth, Diversity, and Prosperity,” the event is aimed at empowering the global economy by promoting effective investment strategies and facilitating opportunities for economic productivity and expansion.

 
The Kerala Pavilion showcased investment opportunities in Kerala as an investment destination, and the Kerala Startup Mission brought eight startups for B2B and seed funding activities. Sinrorobotics Pvt Ltd, Orditt, Cocoroots Organic Private Limited, Febno Technologies Private Limited, Wheelhouse Infosystems Pvt Ltd, GO EC Autotech Pvt Ltd, Ecodew Pure Water Solutions, and Primus Corporate Strategists LLP participated in the panel of Kerala Startup Mission in Abu Dhabi, seeking investment opportunities.

The Government of Kerala is a Gold Sponsor at the Annual Investment Meeting.Secretary DPIIT had earlier held bilateral meetings with the senior leadership of Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), who showed confidence in continuous investment in India in traditional and digital infrastructure.

Guidance Tamil Nadu has been nominated for the Investment Promotion Award, at AIM 2023, the results of which will be announced later in the day. Guidance Tamil Nadu is the investment promotion agency of the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is constituted to reach out to prospective investors and make them invest in the state of Tamil Nadu.

 
AIM Global 2023 addressed new trends in the current global digital transformation experienced by developing and developed economies. It included sessions and workshops discussing vital topics such as Future Cities, the business sector’s ability to keep abreast of fast changes, and the importance of innovation in achieving growth against strong competitive backgrounds. Decision-makers, investors, experts, and academic figures from all over the world attended the Annual Investment Meeting, discussing the shift in the global investment landscape in a global environment characterised by geopolitical and economic challenges and its impact on the attraction of foreign direct investments.

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major endorsement of Kerala’s booming startup ecosystem, two enterprises supported by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) have emerged winners in the pitching competition in the Convergence India Expo 2022, one of India’s most influential expos that concluded in New Delhi on Friday.

Troncart Solutions Pvt Ltd and Riod Logic bagged the first and second prize respectively in the IIT Patna Incubation Centre pitch competition organized in the 29^th edition of the three-day expo at Pragati Maidan.

Troncart got Rs one lakh as prize money, besides being given incubation opportunities by IIT Patna Incubation Centre. Runner-up Riod will also be given incubation opportunities.

Meanwhile, two other KSUM startups—Chargemod and Le Orion Pvt Ltd—entered the finals of North Star Dubai Pitch competition held on the sidelines of the expo. One winner of this competition will get a sponsored trip (for two people from the winning startup) to Dubai North Star expo.

Lauding the achievement of the startups, KSUM CEO Shri John M Thomas said the unique solutions presented by these startups highlight the talent pool and strength of Kerala’s startup ecosystem.

“KSUM startups have got immense recognition at the event and they were able to benefit from the interactions with industry people. It was the one of the best exposures to them as they bagged business opportunities and held discussions with investors,” he added. 

Around 15 startups from across the country were selected for competitions held in three categories. Notably, four startups from Kerala entered the finals of two competitions.

A contingent of 22 KUSM startups belonging to various domains participated in the prestigious expo. They got networking and business opportunities, and one-on-one meeting with investors, who attended the expo. 

Founded in 2018 by Aneez Ahamed, Pratheesh V Nair and Aneesh Chandran, Thiruvananthapuram-based Troncart offers FLOW metering system, a unique solution to calculate utility readings automatically.

Angamaly-based Riod, founded in 2017, is headed by Akhil Joy and Aneesh PK. The startup manufactures and develops IoT sensors along with RIOD Live platform that help to sense, monitor, control and aggregate Realtime data from fields.

KSUM is a nodal agency of the Kerala government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.

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Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) concluded its pioneering six-day programme with a ‘Women Startup Summit 2020’ that made a clarion call for launching businesses that can improve the living standards of common people.

Mr Mohammed Y Safirulla, State IT Secretary, while inaugurating the event, said new-age entrepreneurs should make greater use of modern technology that can resolve issues such as waste management and water shortage.

The prize-winners at the summit should not lose time in hitting the market with their innovative gadgets, he told the 750 delegates at the event the KSUM organised in association with Startup India, TiE Kerala and Indian Women Network of Confederation of Indian Industry.

Dr Chithra S, Kerala State IT Mission Director, announced the winners and felicitated the change-makers at the summit. KSUM-incubated Riafy Technologies of Kochi was declared the Best Inclusive Startup, while IIMK Live of Kozhikode became the Best Inclusive Incubator. Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology, Kodakara (Thrissur district) was chosen the Best Inclusive IEDC.

Ms Shalini Warrier, Federal Bank Executive Director, highlighted the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in future technologies. AI has enabled her bank’s recruitment wing to bring down expenditure by 75 per cent, she added.

The most-awaited competition named ‘She Loves Tech India 2020’ saw close to 100 participants vying for honours with their women-friendly products. Bioscan Research Pvt Ltd qualified for the international level, while the runners-up were Spookfish Innovations, AI, Infinite Circle Inc and India Pvt Ltd. The event also announced the winners of Hackathon.

At ‘She Loves Tech’, 12 entrepreneurs presented their products to invite potential investors. As many as 28 entrepreneurs got expert advice from KSUM’s Investor Café.

The summit, which aims to boost female presence in entrepreneurial ventures, held sessions on the chances women get in launching technology startups and the challenges they face in the process.

The speakers included She Loves Tech Co-founder Virginia Tan, Startup India Hub Chief Aastha Grover, Tech Ready Women Academy founder Christie Whitehill, India Angel Network Cofounder Padmaja Ruparel, Pure Living founder Lakshmi Menon, Open Financial Technologies Co-founder Deena Jacob, media person Rekha Menon, Chemmanur Academy Director Anisha Cherian, Cognizant AVP Maya Sreekumar, Amazon Strategic Initiative Head Deepti Dutt, AWE founder Seema Chaturvedi, Adobe Head of Programmes Garima Babbar, Meena Accenture Interactive MD T J Lightwala and Sunrise Hospital MD Parveen Hafeez.

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Kerala has bagged the “Top Performer” honour for developing a strong start-up ecosystem for the second consecutive year in the annual States’ Startup Ranking 2019, announced by the Government of India on September 11, recognising the State as a leader across all pillars of start-up ecosystem.

While four states were adjudged as the Top performers last year there are only two States to receive the honour this year, neighbouring Karnataka being the other.

The ranking was declared in the presence of Minister of Railways and Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal; Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation, Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri; and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash.

The States’ Startup Ranking Framework 2019, prepared by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, recognized Electronics and Information Technology Department of Government of Kerala as an institutional leader, regulatory change champion, procurement leader, incubation hub, seeding innovation leader, and scaling innovations leader.

Kerala has taken several exemplary initiatives in establishing institutional support for women-led startups, including pre-incubation support, special subsidies and seed funding.

Initiatives such as robust venture funding mechanism for startups are being implemented through the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), the nodal agency for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.

It was noted on the occasion that “Kerala and Karnataka have displayed visionary leadership and taken strategic initiatives to strengthen innovative entrepreneurship of the ecosystem . These states have exhibited unwavering commitment to the growth of start-up ecosystem by taking dedicated and focussed initiatives across all pillars of start-ups ranking exercise.”

It also recognised Dr. Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission and Mr. Ashok Kurian Panjikaran, Head, Business Development of KSUM, as “Startup Champions of the State.”

Dr. Gopinath said: “This recognition for the second consecutive year will encourage more young entrepreneurs to make use of the robust startup ecosystem in the State.”

The States’ Startup Ranking Framework 2019 was done across seven specific dimensions: Institutional Support, Easing Compliances, Relaxation in Public Procurement norms, Incubation Support, Seed Funding Support, Venture Funding Support, and Awareness and Outreach.

The key objective of the exercise is capacity building, and to further the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Indian Startup Ecosystem.The ‘State/UT Startup Ranking Framework’ 2019 is spread across seven areas of intervention with a total of 30 action points, as compared to the 38 action points in the Previous Year State Ranking Framework. The framework provides the guidelines to support implementation of action points along with good practices against each action point.

The State Ranking Framework aims to evaluate States/UTs in a balanced and transparent manner and has thus made documentary evidence of compliance on action points by the State/UT Government a pre- requisite for collection of feedback. Scoring was then done on the basis of the feedback received.

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Providing a platform for industry and investors to tap post-COVID opportunities by leveraging products and services from the start-up ecosystem at affordable costs, the second edition of ‘Big Demo Day’ series of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will be held from August 24 to 28.

Conducted in association with industry bodies, the programme aims at making technologies available for industrialists at reasonable costs, which will also create better businesses for start-ups.

The ensuing edition of the event is focussing on financial, education and enterprise technologies, stressing their increased relevance in a world redefined by the pandemic-induced changes.

The key feature of the event will be the online exhibition from 10am to 4pm, showcasing a wide range of financial, education and enterprises-related products and services developed by start-ups selected by KSUM.

From August 24 to 25, start-ups having education technology will take part in the expo. This will be followed by the turn of start-ups from fintech (Aug. 26) and enterprise technologies sectors (Aug. 27 to 28).

‘Big Demo Day’ aims at presenting a slew of ideas and technologies developed by startups before Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as well as big businesses to help them leverage these products to strengthen businesses.

Industrialists, industry bodies and investors from these sectors can participate in the programme, which has the backing of IT entrepreneurs’ organisation G-Tech and various Indian corporate firms.

To see the products on offer and interact with start-up promoters click here  at 10 am. For registration, click here
Last date of registration is August 23.

More than 100 startups had participated in the inaugural edition of the programme, which registered more than 2,000 visitors. Besides, 300-plus live interactions were held.

The potential business tie-ups will be facilitated through KSUM’sCross Sell digital business platform, a virtual marketplace for startups to showcase their products to industry.

The platform, www.business.startupmission.in, facilitates enrolling of both startups and industry. Startups can display brochures of their products on the platform, and if they are in tune with the requirement of industry, the industrialists can interact with them in a win-win situation for all stakeholders.

The platform also offers an opportunity for investors and stakeholders to interact and forge partnerships with startups to scale up their businesses.

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Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will conduct its Reverse Pitch series, seeking to line up start-ups to provide technical support to industries to modernize their enterprises and scale up marketing, from July 8.

Various industry associations and industry firms, including Eram Scientific, Belgian firm AB InBev, Kuttukaran Group, CREDAI and Jackfruit Promotion Consortium, a collective of institutions in jackfruit processing sector, will participate in the event.

The programme, which is scheduled at 3pm, will get underway by providing tips to the Jackfruit Promotion Consortium to help its members find a global market for their value-added products through online and technical aid from startups, including cold storage facility for keeping jackfruit fresh.

The consortium also aims at creating a link between jackfruit farmers and industrialists through the programme.

On July 10, France-based investment bank Societe Generale will take part in the Reverse Pitch programme from 3.30 pm.

As the state nodal agency for the start-up ecosystem, KSUM has embarked on an ambitious project to connect a wide array of enterprises with start-ups, so that they could considerably reduce the cost for modernization and digitization of businesses. They will also be provided with opportunities to directly contact the start-ups under KSUM to address their needs.

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