THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For long, the Gulf has been a land of promise for Keralites. Now, startups too are looking towards West Asia with a glint in their eyes, harbouring hopes of expanding their prospects.
And supporting their cause is Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), which has been regularly organising programmes under the aegis of Startup Infinity, a dedicated arm launched in 2023 to aid this endeavour.
One such event is happening next week, on July 22, at the KSUM office in Thiruvananthapuram, titled ‘Scaleup in the UAE’. “The event is being co-organised by ‘Startup Middle East’, a similar body that supports startup aspirations of those based in the UAE,” says Ashok Kurien, senior manager of KSUM.
“About 30 startups have already registered for the July 22 session. While most startups are from the tech and software sector, there are about four to five that are from the hardware side as well,” Ashok adds.
Like the Startup Middle East, KSUM has partnered with numerous other bodies, especially in the UAE and Brussels, to help ventures in Kerala navigate the legal and regulatory framework in these countries. At the programmes they routinely hold, information and instructions too are shared on market prospects, client study, and strategies for Indian startups to go global.
As of now, there are about 15 startups that have explored prospects abroad, with help from Startup Infinity and its collaborating partner, Startup Middle East. “Most of it has been in Dubai. About four have explored using our Brussels facility,” says Ashok.
The KSUM is also in the process of expanding to other places to enable start-ups from Kerala to keep infinity as their limit when they plan to scale up. “A bigger event, which would also explore opportunities for Europe, will be held on July 26,” says Chetan N C, KSUM assistant manager (corporate innovation).
For the July 22 event: Register at https://ksum.in/UAE_roadshow. Entry is free and open to all though seats are limited.