KERALA'S SKILLED WORKFORCE AND INDUSTRIAL POLICY ATTRACT GLOBAL GIANTS

The sixth edition of Huddle Global held from 28-30 November this year, at Kovalam, Trivandrum, Kerala, brought together industry leaders, innovators and funding agencies from around the globe, spotlighting Kerala's commitment to innovation and sustainability. Kerala Startup Mission, the Kerala government's nodal agency for entrepreneurship development, spearheaded the event, reinforcing the state's role as a hub for clean energy and technological innovation.

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State needs to streamline regulatory compliances: MP Shashi Tharoor

Kerala's startup ecosystem has become a glittering jewel in the crown of India's fast-growing startup terrain by demonstrating its prowess in innovation, inventiveness, sustainability and inclusiveness, said MP Shashi Tharoor at Huddle Global 2024, held at Kovalam, Trivandrum, Kerala, in his address titled "The elephant that is becoming a tiger: India's Startup Ecosystem and tech entrepreneurship", a reference to his book The Elephant, the Tiger & the Cellphone.

Praising the achievements of Kerala's startup ecosystem, Tharoor said the state needs to further streamline regulatory compliances and procedures to enable the aspirational entrepreneurs to start enterprises, attract capital and grow faster. "We need to simplify and streamline regulatory compliances and procedures by dismantling the oppressive red tape," he observed.

MP Tharoor, tracing the evolution of the Indian startup ecosystem, remarked that this was the time to think about making a single imaginative leap to add greater momentum to what has been achieved. In its onward journey, it is important for the Indian startup ecosystem to see that the surge in economic aspirations of young innovators and entrepreneurs is nurtured in a sustainable and inclusive fashion.

The elephant is becoming a tiger as startups symbolise industriousness, innovation and inventiveness, playing a vital role in the remarkable transformation of the country. When it comes to Kerala's startup ecosystem, there are a lot of reasons to be bullish about, considering its vibrancy and resonance with venture capital providers, across the verticals. The startups in Kerala have also been successful in translating ideas into solutions that address everyday problems, MP Tharoor commented, adding, while coming out with novel and ingenious solutions, the startups have also shown that everything is reusable and re-imaginable.