UAE-based HNIs to Fund Rs 1000 cr in State’s Startups

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Giving a major boost to Kerala’s innovation ecosystem, UAE-based Feeder Fund, spearheaded by the Global Alliance, will provide Rs 1000 crore fund for startups in the state over a period of three years.

This fund is envisioned as a structured vehicle for the global NRI community to participate meaningfully in the growth of the Kerala startup ecosystem, while also complementing and supporting the Funds-of-Funds programme of the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).

Anoop Ambika, CEO of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) announced it at the valedictory of the three-day 7th edition of India’s largest beachside startup festival Huddle Global 2025, organised by KSUM, at Kovalam near here.

Anoop said it is the major achievement of the December 12-14 event apart from showcasing the vibrant startup ecosystem of the state.

The High Networth Individuals (HNIs) behind the funding are Siby Sudhakaran, Founder, Global Alliance & Startup Middle East; Abdul Gafoor, Managing Partner, Finetools Trading and Marakkar Holdings; Piyush Surana, Vice President – Private Equity, Gulf Islamic Investments; and Abhishek Nair, Head – Investments and New Ventures, Sharjah Asset Management.

Sivarajah Ramanathan, Mission Director & CEO, StartupTN; Dr S D Sudarsan, Executive Director, C-DAC, Bengaluru; and Prajeet Prabhakaran, Lead IT Strategist, High Power IT Committee, Govt. of Kerala, also spoke at the closing ceremony.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayai Vijayan launched KSUM’s ‘LeapX AVGC-XR Accelerator Programme,’ a specialised three-month programme aimed at supporting high-potential startups working in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) domains with a focus on original IP creation, technology-driven products, and global market readiness.

Selected startups will receive structured mentorship, industry and studio access, investor interactions, and funding support. Eligible startups will have access to marketization grant, along with opportunities to secure follow-on funding through partner investors.

The first cohort of the accelerator is being jointly delivered with the Society of AVGC-XR Institutions in Kerala (SAIK) as the industry knowledge partner. Applications for the programme are open now. Startups from across India can apply, with special incentives for Kerala-registered startups.

To apply, visit: https://incubation.startupmission.in/

KSUM, through the Research Innovation Network–Kerala (RINK), in partnership with TrEST Research Park, also launched ‘EVolve – EV Innovation Cohort’, a focused incubation programme designed to accelerate innovation in the electric mobility sector at the valedictory.

EVolve is a six-month incubation cohort aimed at supporting early-stage innovators, researchers, and startups working on cutting-edge solutions across the EV ecosystem.

In the 24-hour Agentic AI Hackathon held on the sidelines of the event, Republic of Coders team from TCS bagged the first prize from among 20-plus participants. Peaky Blinders, from University students from Chennai, was adjudged the First Runner Up while Portify from Calpine Group & Cognizant got Special Mention. All the winners will get mentorship and incubation support from KSUM.

Moreover, KSUM in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, conducted a Design Challenge for startups to re-imagine public toilet infrastructure to enhance the overall tourism experience in Kerala. Lily Happiness Solutions emerged winners in the contest. Kyureta and C-Disc Technologies bagged the second and third prizes respectively.

Huddle Global 2025 also hosted a session on ‘The Inclusive Edge: Inclusive Ventures Shaping the Future’ that spotlighted how identity-led innovation, inclusive communities, and impact capital can reshape economies. The paneslists ranged from a deaf founder building accessible tech to gender-lens impact investing.

More than 3000 startups, 200-plus HNIs, 100-plus mentors, corporate, exhibitors and 150 speakers attended Huddle Global 2025, where startups also launched their products and solutions.

The expo showcased the Next-Gen innovations and technology that can boost Kerala’s transformation into a knowledge-based industry hub. It featured a stunning array of transformative solutions and products from across India and beyond, including groundbreaking products and services fromEduTech, HealthTech, FinTech, Life Sciences, SpaceTech, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Blockchain, Robotics, AR/VR, IoT, GreenTech, and e-Governance.

Humanoid robots, autonomous drones, sustainable energy solutions, biomedical devices, and smart city innovations designed to address pressing global challenges were on display at the expo.

Huddle Global 2025 focused on startup funding, business and technology, besides identifying novel business model and raising capitals for startups. The panel sessions and discussions highlighted the immense opportunities emerging from global technologies for startups.