THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The trend of young engineering graduates in the state kick-starting IT start-ups is passe. Now, they have switched their focus to other sectors like polyhouse and hydroponic farming, with the support of latest technology.
Many techies in Technopark and Infopark are starting organic farming saying it could generate more revenue than what they earn from IT industry.
When V S Shijin, an electrical engineering graduate, worked at a college in Kochi as an assistant professor, he never thought an academic project done by his team of students would garner appreciation from all quarters. It also made him confident to quit his job, and focus more on the project and its prospects.
Shijin is not alone. His former student Amal Mathews is providing all support. Named as ‘Green Life’, the project offers mini polyhouses and its necessary infrastructure including a device which has cooling mechanisms and climate control features to begin poly house farming at one’s residence. Three months after its inception, they managed to attract over five customers in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
Shijin said the mantra was to bring a useful product to a common man. “Unlike IT start-ups, the idea gives us a sense of satisfaction and pleasure. Hence we decided to implement the academic project in real-time use. Right now, we’re all set to incubate in Technopark. Recently, we held discussion with the Kerala Start-up Mission and they’re happy with our product, which could enhance terrace farming”, said Shijin.
K V Nithun turned his focus to hydroponic farming from an IT start-up in Bengaluru by partnering residents to produce organic vegetables through terrace farming. His idea became an instant hit and many residents of HSR Layout, Indira Nagar and Whitefield in Bengaluru joined him to make profits.
Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in water with added nutrients without the use of soil. The 32-year-old engineering graduate from Kozhikode switched to non-IT sector from a full-fledged IT start-up in Bengaluru in an attempt to grow quality food as a lot of vegetables and fruits supplied to markets nowadays are grown using harmful chemicals. Since then, he has been working on it to develop a venture which is useful to common people.
“I’ve decided to launch this as I came to know many vegetables which are being sold are not pesticide-free. So I went to have a discussion with some residents at HSR Layout. Without any second thought, they gave a green signal. Then, we had an agreement in terms of mutually agreed capital and started farming at the roof of their residence”, Nithun said.
Speaking to Express, K C Chandrasekharan Nair, former Chief Financial Officer of Technopark and founder of Technopark Technology incubator, said technology-enabled non-IT ventures were becoming smash hits nowadays. “ When I toured Bengaluru recently, I found an entrepreneur who succeeded in hydroponic farming, Later, I’ve encouraged many young graduates and students to start these ventures,” said Nair.