Sandbox’s Mini-Tech Park Coming up at Cyberpark

KOZHIKODE:

Giving a new impetus to the startup-IT ecosystem in Malabar, Sandbox will build a Mini-Tech Park at the Government Cyberpark, while also providing a common space for collaborative discussions and idea generation between companies.

The construction of the 30,000-sq-ft facility will be done by leasing land in the Cyberpark from Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited. The project, which envisages accommodating no less than 600 people, will be one of Kerala’s early privately-developed mid-scale tech-park projects aimed at startups, small enterprises and individual professionals.

Sandbox is the first co-developer of the Cyberpark.

Cyberpark CEO Susanth Kurunthil described the Mini Tech Park as an “important step” aimed at strengthening the technology initiatives of Malabar. “It will strengthen Kozhikode’s reputation as a growing hub of advanced technology,” he pointed out. “IT infrastructure is of utmost importance in the context of the state’s readiness to make a leap in the GCC (Global Capability Centre) sector.”

Cyberpark Chief Operating Officer (COO) Vivek Nair, while expressing pleasure in being able to utilize the potential for co-developing in the campus, spoke of preparing a start-up incubation system along with IT spaces. “There is a Startup Mission campus currently functioning in the. Cyberpark. Once the Mini-Tech Park becomes a reality, it will also benefit the startup ecosystem,” he added.

The mini-tech park will offer flexible workspaces that combine open-plan coworking zones, private office suites, startup incubation areas and meeting rooms within a modern, thoughtfully designed facility. It will include smart, tech-enabled meeting rooms and offices equipped with advanced workplace systems; a café-cum-lounge on the ground floor with breakout corners and phone-booth pods; founder-mentor cabins; and a compact incubation bay reserved for early-stage entrepreneurs.

Sandbox founder-CEO Ahamed Shamil said the Mini-Tech Park will have a self-sufficient Micro IT hub by combining innovative workplaces and smart infrastructure. “It will have flexible workspaces that can be modified according to the needs of startups, SMEs and IT companies,” he revealed. “In addition to the workspaces, there will also be premium facilities for GCC companies and IT institutions. Smart workspaces based on AI technology will be prepared here.”

Shamil pointed out that an incubation center will provide financial support and expert advice to startups in their infancy. It will also ensure comprehensive support including HR, marketing and financial management, as well as access to funding, thereby act as a launch-pad for startups in Malabar.

The new facility will, besides a common space for collaborative discussions and idea generation between different companies, feature creative spaces, recreational areas to reduce work stress, a 24-hour coffee shop and a break-out space. To enhance employee comfort and sustainability, the facility will incorporate wellness touch-points such as a nap-and-wellness corner, quiet zones, energy-efficient lighting, water-saving fixtures and other eco-friendly features — aiming to make the park ready for hybrid work and scalable growth.

The Mini-IT Park will be a venue for organizing innovation summits, startup exhibitions, workshops and tech forums. It will attract global talent in the IT sector to Kozhikode, thereby aiding the city’s growth, authorities said.

The 2021-founded Sandbox, which has a strong presence in Kerala, has been serving over 500 companies and over 1,500 professionals.