Government plans to buy mobile and egovernance apps from startups soon

KOCHI: There is more good news in store for young technology entrepreneurs and startups. The Government will unveil the Startup and Innovation Policy next week containing a plan to purchase mobile and e-governance applications from them.

IT Principal Secretary P.H. Kurien told reporters here on Tuesday that the new policy would also contain a plan of the Government providing matching investment to that of entrepreneurs in startups.

“The new policy will give a boost to startups, ending the supremacy of big firms in Government purchases. The Swiss Challenge method will be used to finalize such purchases”, Kurien said after inaugurating the Technology Business Centre (TBC) of Infopark at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor, here.

According to him, the new policy could see some 3,000 companies getting incubated and setting shop in the State by 2020. The Government, he added, was also preparing a list of mentors for the startups.

“There are already several instances of angel investors coming to the aid of startups in Kerala,” he said. The IT business in the State was now worth $ 1.2 billion including $ 1 billion worth of software exports, Kurien noted.

About 20,000 sqft of the proposed 5 lakh sqft Innovation Zone coming up at Kalamassery was ready and would be opened to the Startup Village on October 20. The new TBC facility of Infopark at Kaloor was meant for small companies under incubation with three to four staff members.