KSUM launches BRIDGE programme to link corporates, SMEs with startups

Trivandrum / June 15, 2026

Thiruvananthapuram, June 15: Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) has launched BRIDGE, a first of its kind corporate-startup convergence programme aimed at helping large corporates and SMEs adopt, invest in and acquire innovative startup technologies.

Applications are now open for the first cohort of BRIDGE, expanded as Business Revolution through Innovation, Digital Growth & Enterprise. The programme is open to corporates and SMEs with annual revenues of Rs 50 crore and above.

KSUM said the initiative seeks to address the gap between India’s startup ecosystem and its industrial and business sectors by enabling structured collaboration, faster technology adoption and new growth opportunities.

KSUM CEO Anoop Ambika said BRIDGE will create a structured pathway for collaboration between startups and established businesses, with measurable outcomes, fixed timelines and end-to-end partnership support.

“By bringing together innovation and industry, BRIDGE aims to enable enterprises to access emerging technologies while helping startups scale through market opportunities,” he said.

Over the next three years, BRIDGE aims to facilitate more than 500 corporate-startup partnerships, over 100 technology adoptions and more than Rs 250 crore in corporate investment into curated technology-first startups through the programme ecosystem.

Participating businesses can adopt startup-built technologies, invest in startups aligned with their sectors, acquire technologies or startups, and scale operations without building extensive in-house R&D capabilities from scratch.

The programme will focus on sectors including manufacturing, logistics, retail, BFSI, healthcare, agri-tech, professional services and other technology-led industries.

BRIDGE will include demo days, pilot frameworks, AI-assisted investment matchmaking, transaction support for pilots, investments and acquisitions, and access to a cohort of corporate and SME leaders.

CEOs, managing directors, founders, COOs, CXOs and growth-oriented businesses can apply or partner through bridge.startupmission.in, ksumcr@startupmission.in or +91 08047180470.

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