Idea Box web portal to receive innovative ideas launched at IEDC Summit 2026

THRISSUR:
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) has launched a new portal, Idea Box, that lets young talents submit innovative ideas and track their progress toward implementation.

The Minister for Industries, IT, and AI, PK Kunhalikutty, launched the Idea Box at the IEDC (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre) Summit 2026 held at Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology, Kodakara.

The initiative aims to document creative ideas emerging from campuses and provide opportunities for their further development.

The minister also launched the Unified Startup Portal and Dashboard, developed by the KSUM, which consolidates startups, programmes, resources, and data in one portal, making it easier to access information about the startup ecosystem.

The summit also introduced the Hykon Innovation Challenge, which encourages innovators to develop solutions for real-world problems.

“Many world-class ideas have originated on campuses,” Mr Kunhalikutty said, assuring that the government would provide the necessary support to bring these ideas to fruition.

The minister highlighted the importance of strong support for agencies and startups, saying the new portal would serve as a platform to record and develop innovative concepts.

IT Secretary Seeram Sambasiva Rao said Kerala’s skills and creative capabilities need to be fully harnessed and stressed the need to decentralise the startup ecosystem and promote the knowledge economy alongside the IT sector.

“Research, innovation, and entrepreneurship should be the foundation of this ecosystem,” he said.

KSUM CEO Anoop Ambika wanted Kerala to strive to develop technology products for the global market.

“Turning ideas into enterprises is a primary objective of the Startup Mission. The new platform aims to empower individuals, regardless of technical expertise, to present their ideas and work toward turning them into viable products.”

Chalakudy MLA TJ Saneesh Kumar, Digital University Vice-Chancellor Dr Saji Gopinath, Irinjalakuda Bishop Mar Pauly Kannookadan, College of Engineering and Technology Principal Ramkumar S., and Kerala IEDC Summit Coordinator Jibin Jose, among others, attended the event.

Organised under the theme “Innovation Beyond the Future,” the summit attracted more than 5,000 youngsters, including students, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.

The gathering featured representatives from 601 IEDCs across 14 districts in Kerala, with over 1,000 nodal officers, more than 4,000 student participants, and over 250 startups.

More than 5,000 new ideas were presented during the event, supported by over 70 experts from various fields who participated in the sessions.

Idea Box can be accessed at ideabox.startupmission.in