Emerging Technology Hub: KSUM, Grant Thornton ink MoU

KSUM’s Huddle Global 2023 concludes

Trivandrum / November 18, 2023

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov.18: Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) today inked an MoU with leading professional services firm Grant Thornton for conducting a strategic study on empowering the Kerala capital as an emerging technology hub and a premier destination for startups.

KSUM CEO Shri Anoop Ambika and Partner, Grant Thornton, Shri Prasad Unnikrishnan, exchanged the MoU at the valedictory function of the fifth edition of three-day Huddle Global conclave, organised by KSUM, at Adimalathura beach near Vizhinjam, about 20 km from the city centre.

Shri M Vincent, MLA, presided over the function where Dr V Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India, was the Guest of Honour.

Shri Anoop also released the draft policy for ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) startups that aims to invite public feedback. 

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Vincent said the innovative and riveting products displayed by startups at Huddle Global 2023 shows the amazing potentials of youngsters and their products are able to change the lives of ordinary people. 

Expressing his joy over the tremendous success of the conclave, Shri Anoop said the panoramic Adimalathura beach is going to be the permanent venue for Huddle Global.

Chief Minister ShriPinarayi Vijayan inaugurated India’s biggest beachside startup conclave Huddle Global 2023 on November 16.  The inaugural of the flagship event saw exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between KSUM and Belgium, Australia and the State Bank of India (SBI).

Around 300 startups interacted with investors at the Huddle Global 2023. Attended by around 12,000 delegates from India and abroad, the event showcased 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.

As many as 15 foodtech innovations were selected from R&D institutions in Kerala for the Branding Challenge conducted on the sidelines of the conclave. More than 100 designers participated in the challenge to create brand identity for the innovations.

A total of 13 designers won the 'Huddle Designers Award 2023'. The winners were Amna Marzooque (Student, Saint Gits Design School), Arjun (Freelance Designer), MirashChandran (Freelance Designer), Sunil Kuttan(Freelance Designer), Naveenlal P  (Student, Govt. College of Fine arts , Thrissur), Enric S Neelamkavil (Student, Christ College, Irinjalakkuada), Muhammed Mustafa C P (Freelance Designer), Adam George (Designer, Codegreen Technologies), S Balasankar(Freelance Designer), Jeswin Jose K (Student, S.H School of Communication, Kochi), Muhammad Shameem (Freelance Designer), Sreehari K N (Student, Model Engineering College, Kochi), and Shameem (Freelance Designer).

About 27 coders who attended the conclave were honoured at the closing ceremony.

Directors of Grant Thornton, Shri Ajith Prasad Balakrishnan and Ms Sini Mohankumar, and Associate Director Shri Sarath P Raj were also present. KSUM Programme Head Shri Prajeet Prabhakaran proposed a vote of thanks.

An expo on the sidelines of the event displayed products from 100-plus nascent companies, and provided an opportunity for them to interact with experts from technology and industry for advice on investment opportunities.

The event, organised in partnership with Startup India, Headstart, TiE Kerala, GTech, Startup Middle East, Habitat for Humanity and Technopark Today, saw the participation of more than 5,000 startups, 400 HNIs, 300 mentors, 200 corporates, 150 investors and speakers.

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