KSUM and IT Parks to Hold Tech Summits

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Aiming at inspiring more technology startups and the allied community to come up with innovative ideas and solutions in emerging technology areas, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is joining hands with Kerala IT Parks to organize a series of technology- based summits in the state.

The decision was taken on Sunday at the last of the two-day ‘Huddle Global’ conference organized here by KSUM. A Blockchain Summit and the demo day of Green Innovation Fund were also held on the final day of the virtual event, which is the third edition of the annual series. The Blockchain Summit, featuring a wide range of experts, was held in association with Kerala IT Parks and Kerala Blockchain Academy.

Commenting on the tie-up with IT Parks, KSUM Chief Executive Officer JohnM Thomas said the move was made knowing well the increasing importance of technology summits.

“This will be an encouragement for more startups and the technology community to crop up with their novel ideas and solutions in emerging technologies,” said Mr Thomas, who is also the CEO of Kerala IT Parks. “In fact, it will bridge the gap between problem-centric solutions and cutting-edge technologies.”

A proposed Emerging Technologies Startup Hub in Kerala’s capital will become the center for all emerging technologies solutions, the CEO added.

The February 19-20 Huddle Global offered a platform for startups to showcase their products as well as interact with technology and industry leaders on ways to move ahead in the post-pandemic world.

On the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of the conclave, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the state’s first Fintech Accelerator and Finishing School — an initiative of Kochi-based Open Financial Technologies in collaboration with KSUM to support startups coming up with fintech solutions.

Billed as one of Asia’s largest startup ecosystem congregations and India’s biggest networking platform for entrepreneurs, the brainstorming event focused on business, investment and partnership opportunities for startups in a world that is grappling with unwelcome repercussions of the pandemic.

The event set the stage for a meeting of globally-known startup founders, mentors, investors, industry leaders and representatives of government departments to deliberate a whole range of issues relating to startup ecosystem with a global perspective. On the inaugural day, KSUM signed MoUs with Google for Startups, Habitat, Jetro, Global Accelerator Network, NASSCOM and CSL, among others.

The event was held on a platform created by KSUM to accommodate more than 2,000 people.

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