The Kerala government is working on a master plan to create a billion-dollar campus for startups in the near future, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said today.
Chandy announced this after inaugurating the distribution of Startup Boxes to 50 young mobile application developers as part of the Youth Entrepreneurs Scheme (YES) 2015, of which the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is the implementing agency.
Putting forward a development strategy for the state, the Chief Minister said the vibrant business environment created by the young generation entrepreneurs and experienced Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) can transform Kerala to a developed state by 2030.
"The top student entrepreneurs, selected for the startup boxes should aim to become top startups in India within one year," he said.
Earlier in the day, Industries and IT Minister P K Kunhalikutty, who inaugurated the 'idea contest', said, "We will promote all pragmatic ideas and the theme of the state is 'Yes We Can', in the context of YES 2015."
Chandy released the logo of the YES 2015 at the function.
Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson launched the newly designed web portal for KSUM, the nodal agency for several schemes and programmes for young enterprises in the state.
The new website will act as a single online platform that connects students-entrepreneurs, mentors, professionals and investors across the world.
Aimed at accelerating the startup boom, the portal will also act as a gateway to numerous initiatives for schools, colleges and start-up companies.
Kicking off with boxes for mobile applications, the Startup Boxes Project is designed to distribute startup kits to various technology and industry verticals.
The boxes have vital gadgets for mobile application developers to get started - a MacBook, iPhone, Google Nexus, Kindles, and Arduino starter kit.
"Young entrepreneurs, who have the spirit of innovation, can change Kerala's dependent economy to a productive one," IT Principal Secretary P H Kurian said.
The beneficiaries for the Startup Boxes project were selected through 'Fintec programme', which was launched by the startup village and Federal Bank to develop banking technologies.
