- It is a joint initiative of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC)
- The 50,000 sq-ft facility will provide 1,000 direct employment opportunities this month
The Kerala government has launched a state-of-the-art Accelerator for Electronics Technologies (ACE), which is expected to boost the southern state’s startups, striving to scale up as sustainable enterprises. It is a joint initiative of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC). It aims to nurture the development of high-tech startups in electronics and allied disciplines, official sources here said. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the accelerator through an online function
He said that the accelerator would be complementary to the KSUM- supported incubator in electronics technologies established in Kochi with the assistance of the Union Ministry of Electronics and IT. He added that CADC will mentor for a specific period the startups by providing them access to the new facility’s physical and intellectual infrastructure.
Development of high-end electronic systems, tools and services
It is mandated to facilitate software infrastructure that support the research and development of high-end electronic systems, tools and services. The 50,000 sq-ft facility will provide 1,000 direct employment opportunities this month. Vijayan said said that restrictions of various kinds to check the spread of the coronavirus has not impeded the prospects of Kerala’s growth in the IT sector. He added that there is a large demand for KSUM’s scale-up space in Technopark, with 20 startups having already been allotted space recently. The plug-and-play space would be offered at subsidised rates.The Future Technology Lab will catalyse the accelerator programme.
Highly beneficial to young entrepreneurs
He added that ACE will be “highly beneficial” to young entrepreneurs, enabling them to steady their ventures that show prospects of flourishing. He further said that at a time when Kerala is working towards doubling the space for IT firms, the accelerator would help software infrastructure earn support for research and development of high-end electronic systems, tools and services.
CDAC executive director Magesh E said the autonomous scientific body was keen to partner with any rising startup in the state to take the entrepreneurs to the next level by guiding them till hitting the market with the product. K Mohammed Y Safirulla, state IT and Electronics Secretary, said Kerala currently had 3,000 startups and a space of four lakh square feet for them.
