Kerala, a powerhouse of startups; India can be destination: conclave

Kerala is the startup powerhouse of India which has immense potential to emerge as a global startup destination, said delegates from across the world attending a tech conclave here on Friday. On the concluding day of the Huddle Global 2022 startup conclave held at Kovalam in this southern district of the State, delegates from various nations lauded efforts of India to emerge as a startup destination, according to a release issued by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).

The delegates highlighted the initiatives of KSUM to make the State the startup powerhouse of India, the release said.

In one of the sessions at the conclave, Jonas Brunschwig, Consul General of Switzerland and CEO of Swissnex in India, said startups from around the world are looking at India more as a product-making space than a market.

“We have recognised the importance of India as a mature eco system as well as a powerhouse in its own terms,” Brunschwig is quoted as having said in the session.
He said their focus in India was on “market discovery, validation and entry.”

Brunschwig further said Israel has about seven times more investment in startups than Switzerland and about three times more unicorns than Switzerland.

Hans-Joerg Hoertnagl, Commercial Counsellor and Trade Commissioner of Advantage Austria, is quoted as having said about 40 per cent of startups in Austria are by foreign-born founders and many companies want international connections for scaling up.

He said one among the 12 innovation offices of Austria across the world is in India.

Another delegate at the conclave — Tanapat Sangaroon, Vice Consul-Commercial Affairs of the Royal Thai Consulate — said that in Kerala, apart from human development, one of its capabilities was its connection to the Middle-East where food sector was the key.

For sustainability, the country can focus on niche sectors including electronics, IT, food sector, healthcare and hospitality, he suggested.

According to him, India can attract more foreign startups with the exemption for capital gains tax, the release said.

He said he would be interested in establishing a connection between food manufacturers of Thailand and startups from KSUM.

Meanwhile, Limor Bletter, Deputy Consul General, CG of Israel to South India, said Israel was looking at India for collaborations in the long run as it would be fruitful for both countries, according to the release.

“We have collaboration with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms in Bengaluru. We also have some programmes coming up in 2023 which will be finalised following the meeting between the officials concerned from both the countries,” she is quoted as having said.

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