KSUM Picks 14 Ideas of Startups, Innovators for NIDHI-PRAYAS Grant

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) has chosen ideas of 14 startups in hardware sector and other innovators from the state for the NIDHI-PRAYAS grant, a flagship initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, to foster indigenously developed innovations and products.

KSUM is one of the recognised centres for implementing the NIDHI-PRAYAS–National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations–Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Technology Entrepreneurs.

The14 applicants, 7 innovators and 7 startups in hardware sector, who were selected by an expert panel, will get a grant of Rs 85 lakh in total.

As part of the NIDHI-PRAYAS initiative, KSUM had invited applications and a total of five evaluation panels were constituted. The shortlisted applicants pitched their ideas before the respective panels. Finally, 14 of them were selected for the grant.

The startups that were sanctioned the grant are Silizium Circuit (founder– Rojin John), Qnayds LLP (Mohammed Rishan N K), Fititout Solution (Naveen Kumar M), Algo Power (Ratheesh), AI Fybnext Innovations (Abhilash Sathyan), Teqard Labs (Sangeeth Surendran) and Seamoto Electric Engine (Sony Varghese).

Harikrishna T, Shyam Joseph, Nithin, Sangeet Satheesan, Joji Jose, Shahana T H and Philip Mathew are the innovators, who were selected for the grant.

PRAYAS is a pre-incubation initiative that supports innovators to turn their hardware/electronics solution ideas into proof of concept. It aims to provide a platform to young innovators to generate solutions for relevant local and social problem.

The programme is aimed at promoting a vibrant innovation ecosystem by establishing a network between innovators, academia, mentors and incubators by catalysing the process of commercialization for innovators.

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