Kerala, the tiny state in the southernmost part of India, will be sending the largest startup contingent for GITEX Global 2022 in Dubai, with as many as 50 ventures participating in the event – billed as the ‘Global Expo’ for startups.
Of the 50 startups – incubated by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) – 40 will be displaying their products, while 10 will participate for network events and holding parleys for investment and partnership deals at the event, starting on Monday, October 10.
In another first, KSUM is planning to set up a ‘Global Launch Pad’ for Indian startups in the Middle East to avail support and benefits of the mission’s activities, after incubating them.
KSUM will also extend support to them if those startups want to shift to Kerala later.
“As far as we understand, ours will be the largest contingent in this year’s GITEX,” Ashok Kurian, head of business development and incubation at KSUM, told Arabian Business.
“For KSUM also, this is our largest ever startup contingent for the annual Dubai event,” Kurian said.
KSUM is the nodal agency for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.
This year’s startup lineup from Kerala includes ventures from healthtech, edtech, sportstech, fintech, SaaS (Software as a service) and IoT (Internet of Things).
Kerala’s participation at 2021 GITEX included 20 startups.
Kurian said the main reason for KSUM to participate in GITEX in such big numbers is because of the track record of high deal conversion rate at the Dubai event for startups from the state.
“For us, UAE – and the larger Middle East – is our second home. The entire business and investors community there is well aware of the capabilities of our people,” Kurian said, explaining the reason for the high conversion rate of negotiations to deals.
He said startups from the state such as Benlycos, Riod Logic, Pinmicro, Mykare and Z Distance Lab have already made it to the semifinals of Supernova – a startup challenge event at GITEX.
Kurian said KSUM was hopeful of striking more partnership and investment deals this year at the event due to the post-pandemic economic rebound in the region and UAE’s increased focus on attracting ventures and talents from high-tech sectors.
KSUM chief executive officer Anoop Ambika said GITEX offered both business and investment opportunities, and also business scaling up opportunities for startups.
“Besides displaying their products and solutions, these ventures will also explore greater expansion and investors connect to the Middle East,” he said.
Besides a number of networking and investors meetings scheduled by KSUM for its startups, the delegation is also slated to visit Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park on October 15 and interact with their peers.
The KSUM delegation will also attend ‘India Startups Confluence 2022’ to connect Indian startups to startups from UAE and the Middle East-based larger ecosystem stakeholders.
More than 800 global startup exhibitors, 600-plus investors and more than 400 speakers are slated to attend the North Star – a startup-focused event at GITEX Global, world’s largest and most inclusive tech and startup event.
Follow us on
