KSUM inks pact with CDAC to support digital tech startups

Kerala Startup Mission has signed an agreement with the Centre for Development of Advance Computing to set up an Accelerator for Electronic Technologies to support digital technology startups that have moved to the scaling up stage.

The pact was signed here Friday in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, by KSUM CEO Dr Saji Gopinath and CDAC Executive Director B Ramani.

Kerala IT Secretary M Sivasankar and CDAC senior director Sasi PM were also present.

CDAC is a premier Research and Development institution of the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and KSUM is the state's nodal agency to implement Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Policy.

Under the pact, KSUM will be setting up an ACE jointly with CDAC at the latter's campus at Technopark to support the startups in their scaling up stage to develop themselves into sustainable enterprises.

The startups will be provided access to the physical and intellectual infrastructure being set up in the facility and will also be mentored by CDAC for a specific period.

The accelerator will work complementary to the KSUM supported incubator in electronics technologies established in Kochi with the assistance of Union Ministry of Electronics and IT, a press release said.

The prime objective of the partnership is to develop a leading accelerator in electronic hub in the country which will provide a nurturing environment for development of high tech startups in electronics and allied disciplines.

Hailing the project, Sivasankar said "this is the right help at the right time for the startup ecosystem in the state to grow."