THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first edition of ZuGrama, an experimental initiative designed to enhance the country’s innovation sector by bringing together top minds in AI, biotech, cryptography and other fields took place at Hyatt Regency from January 5 to February 16.
It was a six-week residency programme where scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs co-lived and collaborated on complex problems to bring about breakthroughs and technological advancements in the country. Yeshodhara Baskaran, Anish Mohammed, Kritarth Chhabra were the three initiators of Zu Grama.
“Innovation thrives in the right environment and ZuGrama seeks to provide that by bringing together multiple technology communities under one roof,” said Anish Mohammed.
Inspired by Zuzalu, the pop-up city concept created by Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, ZuGrama provided space for scientists, engineers, cryptographers, and entrepreneurs to co-live and co-build. The initiative attracted participants from around the world, creating an interdisciplinary hub where ideas take shape beyond traditional institutional frameworks. It had around 85 participants from around the world under different age groups ranging from 17 to 75.
“The reason why we wanted to have this setting is because, in India, we come from a scarcity mindset. It also reflects in the way we approach problem-solving. If you want to think about really complex problems and push the boundaries for humanity, you need an abundance mindset. This is a small experiment to see how innovation flourishes when basic needs-food, cleanliness, fitness-are taken care of. It frees up mental space to focus on solving interesting problems,” said Yeshodhara Baskaran.
ZuGrama is envisioned as a long-term effort to reshape country’s innovation ecosystem. “There have been some efforts in this direction, but this is entirely different. We aim to build an ecosystem of talented people and provide them with access to networks, not just in India but globally. In the future, we hope to have semi-permanent spaces where these ideas can continue to evolve, and once a year, we might host pop-ups like this to bring in more people and speakers,” added Yesh.
For participants, the experience has been transformative. Kishore Ramesh Kumar, a participant working on a citizen science project, described ZuGrama as a builder’s hub that shifted his perspective on innovation and collaboration. “In places like Bengaluru or the Bay Area, you need to physically go to be part of the process. But here, the city comes to you. Initially, I thought it would just be about lectures, seminars, and building things. But it changed my entire perspective on how I interact with the world. There were different tracks-governance, AI, longevity and more. It broke me out of my bubble. You interact with a wider network of people, and that interaction changes how you think,” said Kishore Ramesh Kumar.
The impact of ZuGrama extends beyond the event itself. “Now, I feel like I’m part of this ‘network state’ as they call it. ZuGrama isn’t just an isolated experiment in India. It’s connected to other ‘Zu’ villages worldwide. By participating here, I’ve become part of a global movement,” added Kishore Kumar.
17-year-old Dhruv Thiwari, the baby of the group, shared the excitement. “I worked on a project on effective education delivery. The insights that I got from the experienced people here will go a long way in my future endeavours,” he said.