The Kerala Government will now be providing financial support to startups for seven years. The Government announced financial support for startups will be extended by 2 years from the existing five years, in line with Startup India’s definition of startups.
Benefits such as access to subsidized office facilities will also be extended as a part of the move to give a boost to tech based product development startups currently operating in Kerala. At present, there are 757 technology startups registered with the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM,) the implementing agency for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities. According to a recent study, only a few startups have managed to earn a profit. Therefore, this decision to extend the benefits aims to help the startups and reduce their extra financial burden as well.
Speaking about the extension, KSUM Manager Ashok Kurian Panjikaran said, “KSUM focuses on developing product based companies and the extension will suit our requirements.” According to startup entrepreneur Robin Alex Panicker, product development companies take longer to build when compared to services companies. Without subsidized office facilities and other benefits, the cost of a startup company will increase significantly after the incubation period.
KSUM is also read to launch the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP.) Armed with State funding of Rs. 20 crores, YEDP aims at developing technology led innovation and entrepreneurship among schools, college students and aspiring entrepreneurs. The selected startups will also be receiving the funds by next month.
Kerala was one of the first states to adopt a Startup Mission for implementing the entrepreneurship development programmes in the state. The technology startup policy was also launched in 2014 with the aim of building an entrepreneurial society in Kerala. In July this year, the Kerala Government also allotted 12 new projects as a part of the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program (SVEP.) Over 2,000 startups operating in the State will be offered financial as well as technical support under this initiative. With this programme, Kerala became the first state in India to have introduced SVEP project in all its districts.