KSUM to launch Incubation Programme for startups

Kerala Startup Mission is launching a two-year structured incubation programme for startups stitching together various government schemes available for them.

Startups will benefit from curated industry participation and mentoring, national and international exposure programmes, access to government grants and funding, and investor networking opportunities.

The programme will begin here in the first week of January, a Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) statement said here.

Startups should apply through the KSUM website by December 10 for this program and shortlisted ones will be notified through mail by December 16.

Final selection pitch will be held here on December 21, it said adding that the induction programme for the selected startups will be held from January 8 to 12.

The subsequent months will have sector connect programmes, demo days and other networking and community events.

Every three months, the performance of the startups will be assessed, based on which, they will be provided idea, product and growth acceleration, an official said.

"Startups are expected to graduate in 9-12 months. But startups that have longer development and sales cycles can continue in the programme for up to 2 years," Ashok Panjikaran, Manager at KSUM, said.

A nodal agency of the Kerala government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state, the KSUM is in advanced talks with a few global incubators and accelerators to run this programme in Thiruvananthapuram.

Similar programmes will be launched in partnership with reputed startup ecosystem enablers in Kochi and Kozhikode subsequent to this programme, the statement said.

Startups incubated through this programme will be able to work from KSUM?s co-working spaces, which includes both plug and play desks and cabins, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Calicut, it added.

Startups, registered as a private limited company or a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), can attend the programme.

If any of the selected startups have not registered their companies, they would be required to do so before January 31 next and KSUM will facilitate necessary assistance for this, the statement added.