Learn German to integrate with local ecosystems: experts at Huddle Global

Trivandrum / November 17, 2023

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov. 17: Learning German can boost the career prospects of Indians aspiring for jobs abroad when Western European countries beyond the United Kingdom are emerging as premier destinations for startups, experts said at an international conference today.

Notwithstanding the status of English as a global medium for interaction, knowing German language will enable immigrants to integrate well with local ecosystems, speakers from three European nations noted at Huddle Global 2023.

Diligence in the new generation to do foreign-language courses and a visible presence of Indian diaspora in key German-speaking countries promise a flourish for the residents in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, they pointed out in a discussion at the three-day event by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).

At the hour-long session on ‘Global Expansion — Scaling Business Beyond Boundaries’ at the beachside venue near Vizhinjam, the experts said India’s twin advances in science and industry qualify the country’s youth to be stronger players in Western Europe, which is a hub of technological advancements.

While its recent medical advances in vaccines to counter Covid-19 reinforced India’s rise in the field of medicine, the country’s healthcare startups look set to benefit more, according to Achim Burkart, Consul General of Federal Republic of Germany. Equally, engineering and automotive ideas from India are gaining increasing acceptance in Germany, which has of late eased its immigration rules amid a need for 400,000 skilled workers annually.

Delhi-based Hans-Jorg Hortnagl, Head of trade promotion organisation Advantage Austria, said IT, besides life sciences, give Indian startups the opportunities to expand operations in Western Europe, which is seeing a rise in computer vision to perform automated tasks that replace human capabilities. “Austria already has around 100 Indian startups,” he pointed out. Added Burkart: “We notice that most Indians have no problem learning German. Further, they get an encouraging feedback from compatriots about Germany being a “good place to live and work”, he said, pointing out that the Indian diaspora in that country totals around 200,000.

Jonas Brunschwig, CEO of Swissnex in India under the Consulate General of Switzerland, spoke of the scope for bilateral collaborations in innovations that merit protection through intellectual property rights. “Switzerland has new domains such as learning platforms beyond the traditional ones: chocolates, cheese, clocks,” he pointed out, stressing on a decades-old relation Indian cinema — especially Bollywood — has shared for scenic locations in the Alpine country.

When eco sustainability is gaining centrality in contemporary startup culture, India’s can foresee stronger tie-ups with Europe, the panellists said. Ernst and Young Partner Rajesh Nair moderated the discussion.

KSUM is Kerala government’s nodal agency established in 2006 for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.

The fifth edition of Huddle Global in Adimalathura, 20 km south of the state capital, has around 15,000 delegates converging from within the country and abroad. The November 16-18 event showcases cutting-edge products from emerging sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, life sciences, space tech, blockchain, IoT, e-governance, fintech, healthtech, agritech, edutech and SaS from across the country’s ecosystem. Also, an expo on the sidelines displays products from 100-plus nascent companies.