GTech draws up plan for small players

The Group of Technology Companies (GTech), the strategic association of IT companies based at Thiruvananthapuram Technopark, has drawn up a plan to help small and medium technology companies in the state give shape to strategies that would enable them to network with the technology industry.

Speaking to Business Standard on the sidelines of the first Kerala VC Summit here, Sunil Gupta, past-president, GTech, and CEO, Enterprise Software Solutions, Collabera, said GTech had lined up a follow-up plan in the shape of a Business Plan competition for entrepreneurs in the state in its bid to make the scope of venture capital inflow more effective.

“We would request technology entrepreneurs, small, medium and start-up firms to send in their applications for the competition where they can showcase their growth strategies. A team of senior-level technology professionals in Technopark will screen the applications and pick the companies based on their financial and business plans. The GTech, in collaboration with like-minded companies, would mentor these smaller players and provide a support system to grow their businesses,” Gupta said.

“Of the total number of technology companies in Technopark, 75 per cent are small and medium enterprises. So is the case with Infopark. The VC summit having opened up immense scope in finding potential investors, the follow up measures would bank on helping these small and medium companies grow their businesses,” Gupta added.

This apart, GTech would seek the support of bigger players in educating and mentoring startups on how to go about in making their business grow. “Home grown majors such as SunTec Business Solutions already have their mentoring programmes. GTech looks forward to join hands with these majors to put in a collaborative effort towards helping the smaller players effectively run their businesses,” Gupta said.

The first edition of the Kerala VC Summit, which would be a continuing affair year after year, showcased Kerala as a fast emerging ideal destination for the venture capital community. The event held under the aegis of GTech, in association with the Kerala Department of Information Technology, KSIDC, and Technopark, deliberated on the need for companies in Technopark to build stronger partnerships with the venture capital community.

The summit had sessions on the opportunities for Kerala in the global venture capital industry and case studies of venture capital funding in the IT and ITeS industry.