KOCHI: Entrepreneur Rajesh Dembla has expressed interest in investing in Kerala startups with an impressive track record and definite growth potential. The move comes amid Microsoft’s project on grooming select startups in the country. Dembla, who is currently the CEO of data science and design firm Xelpmoc, had earlier this year invested in select startups in Gujarat and Rajasthan, where Microsoft had held mentoring programmes under the ‘Highway to a Hundred Unicorns’ project. Attending Microsoft’s ‘Emerge X’ programme here last week, Dembla had said he came across “at least two startups” that merited solid investment.
“One is in the SME sector and the other is into larger social cause,” he revealed on the sidelines of the event at Kerala Startup Mission’s (KSUM) Integrated Startup Complex at Kalamassery. “I have informed the two startups about my interest in investing in them,” said Dembla, who was group vice-president (global operations) of Justdial, said he noticed that the general standard of the startups incubated under the KSUM was “way better” than those in other states in the country.
Founder of 36 companies, Dembla, hailed Microsoft’s move to join hands with KSUM to groom Kerala startups.Welcoming Dembla’s initiative, KSUM chief executive officer Saji Gopinath said Kerala startups will hugely benefit from investments in ventures, especially those that are technology-driven and socially beneficial. “Our startups are facing stiff international competition. KSUM is devising ways to help them equip to face this challenge,” he said.