Kerala to be Part of Global Knowledge Industry: Minister P Rajeeve

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala has built a strong platform with its future-ready ecosystem and policy initiatives to be a vital part of the global knowledge industry in less than a decade, Industries Minister P Rajeeve said.

The minister was addressing a function held at Technopark here last evening to congratulate satellite manufacturing company HEX20 for successfully launching India’s first private payload hosting satellite named ‘Nila’ on March 15.

Hex 20 co-founders MB Aravind and Anurag Reghu were among those present at the event, organized byTechnopark’s welfare and cultural forum Prathidhwani.

Representatives of Prathidhwani including President Vishnu Rajendran, Ex Member Anoob T Muraly and State Convener Rajeev Krishnan attended the function.

Our startup ecosystem is at par with global standards as they focus on futuristic technologies like robotics, AI, blockchain, machine learning and aero-space technology, Rajeeve said.

With its launch of ‘Nila’, Technopark-based Hex20, which started as a startup, is going to be an anchor initiative from Kerala in Aerospace industry. Many other companies from different verticals of aerospace industry will come up following Hex20’s success, Rajeeve said.

“The State Government has facilitated this futuristic ecosystem. We have K-Space here, the first Digital Science Park is nearing completion and we have the Blockchain academy , the first digital university. We are the first state to include AI in school syllabus. Thiruvananthapuram has become an important global point of automotive technology, “ Rajeeve said, pointing out some of the initiatives that fueled the state’s futuristic transformation.

He also noted that the readily available talent pool which is familiar with the latest technology is a major asset of the state.

Other advantages that make Kerala the ideal choice for international companies include the absence of rural-urban divide and with the National Highway development transforming the whole state into a one big city, the Minister said.

With Vizhinjam Port all set to become fully functional industries will be able to scale up production and distribution, he added.

MB Aravind, Co-founder and Director of Hex 20, noted that the state capital region is fast becoming an aerospace industry hub with more than 60 companies registered within the K Space alone, and Hex20 had associated with 18 of them for the launch of Nila.

Aravind thanked Technopark for providing the lab space for Hex20 and extending their lab facilities.

The company is in talks with PSLV to launch a 35 kg satellite next year and also talks are in the final stage for a project to design a spacecraft for a UAE asteroid mission, besides another one with the Japan-based company iSpace Inc’s lunar mission for 2028, said Aravind.

The retrieval and analysis of data from the satellite known as ‘downstreaming’ is a multi- million dollar industry and there are already around eight companies focusing in this area which shows Kerala has emerged a hub for knowledge-based and future centric industry and more companies , he added.

Other than the board members, 17 of Hex20’s 18 employees are from Kerala, which reflects on the talent pool available in the state, said Anurag Reghu. CTO & Co-Founder of Hex 20Our retention rate is almost zero. The company is on the path of extension, which already has its presence in Australia, the UAE and Taiwan, he said.

Developed in just four months, ‘Nila’ was launched via Berlin-based satellite deployer company Exolaunch aboard SpaceX Transporter-13 on March 15’, which represents a significant step forward in private satellite technology and innovation.

A critical milestone was reached when the beacon signal was received at HEX20’s Satellite Control Center on March 16.

HEX20 is also establishing partnerships with leading academic institutions such as the National Central University in Taiwan and the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in USA.