Startup report: Kerala make gains despite Covid crisis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has been ranked fifth in Asia and in the top 20 globally in the Global Startup Environment Report (GSER) by startups in the state despite the Covid crisis. The achievement is in the category of providing the best technical talent.

Despite the worsening Covid situation, startups in various sectors have received investments from various quarters. More and more people entered the arena. Many new startups started. This gained popularity globally. Meetings in different parts of the world were attended, which provided the needed strength for this achievement. Prior to Covid, only 29% of small businesses were involved in online marketing. It is now up 53 per cent.

Criteria for GSER preparation include performance, investment, trade relations, market potential, resource attraction and experience. The report is being prepared jointly by Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network.

4 Highlights of Kerala

1. The best place to hire the best technicians.

2. A startup environment worth US $ 4.3 crore was created in the last two and a half years. The initial investment was $ 4.6 million.

3. Concessions given by the government in the early days brought startups from elsewhere to the state.

4. The areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, big data and analytics were highlighted

Making a global platform

Excellent literacy, skilled manpower, entrepreneurial environment and government support make Kerala a global platform for startups.