States » SouthPosted at: Nov 14 2026 6:31PM


Huddle Global: Experts call for scale-up capital, NRI investments to strengthen Kerala startup ecosystem

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov. 14 (UNI) Mobilising scale-up capital and attracting investments from the non-resident Indian (NRI) community are crucial to accelerating the growth of Kerala's startup ecosystem, which has emerged as a model for other states, experts said at Huddle Global 2026 here.
During a panel discussion on the evolution and future of India's startup ecosystem, experts highlighted the need for larger investments, innovative financing mechanisms and stronger government-private sector partnerships to help startups transition from early-stage ventures to established businesses.
One of the key proposals was the introduction of a 'First Loss Default Guarantee' mechanism to facilitate access to larger bank loans for startups. Under the proposed model, a government guarantee of Rs 10 crore could enable startups to mobilise loans amounting to Rs 100 crore from banks.
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) CEO Anoop Ambika said the state was considering special schemes to attract investments from NRIs into its startup ecosystem and support promising ventures in expanding their operations globally. Policy interventions were also being explored to provide enhanced financial assistance to companies securing large contracts.
Tracing Kerala's startup journey, he said the ecosystem had taken shape through initiatives such as Startup Village and the Idea Grant Scheme in 2016-17, under which 1,000 innovative ideas received grants of Rs two lakh each.
The state subsequently expanded its support framework through innovation grants of up to Rs 15 lakh, angel investment networks and a Fund of Funds scheme implemented in partnership with venture capital firms. Under the scheme, every Rs one crore invested by the government helps mobilise an additional Rs two crore from venture capital funds for startups.
Kerala has also developed specialised infrastructure, including Maker Village to support hardware startups, BioNest for biotechnology ventures and a research park modelled on the IIT Madras Research Park. India's first AI chip was also developed at the research park, he said.
With several states making rapid strides in the startup sector, Kerala needs to introduce targeted interventions every month to sustain its position and remain competitive, Ambika added.
The session was moderated by Indian School of Business Incubation Association (ISBA) president Prasad Menon. Other panellists included NSRCEL CEO Rasika Prashanth and StartupTN chairperson Singai G Ramachandran.
The discussion also highlighted how Kerala's startup development model was attracting attention from states such as Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, which are looking to learn from its experience. The panellists proposed holding annual conclaves of heads of startup missions from across the country to facilitate the exchange of ideas and successful practices.
Sharing Tamil Nadu's experience, the panellists noted that startup activities had expanded beyond Chennai into Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Around nine regional sub-offices were functioning as feeder centres, extending programmes and support facilities to entrepreneurs at the grassroots level.
The decentralised approach had encouraged ventures across diverse sectors, ranging from traditional local-product manufacturing to advanced technology initiatives, including rocket development.
The experts also stressed that innovation should not remain confined to departments or agencies exclusively dealing with startups. Instead, sectors such as agriculture, information technology and power generation should earmark a fixed proportion of their activities for innovation and establish dedicated teams to promote new ideas.
The challenges faced by startups in securing large institutional orders, particularly from government organisations such as the Railways, also came up for discussion.
Unlike established companies, startups often lack the financial resources to procure raw materials in bulk, resulting in cash-flow constraints while executing large orders. The panellists said government support was necessary to address such difficulties and enable emerging businesses to expand.
At the same time, startups should prepare themselves to evolve into established brands, offer products at competitive wholesale prices and meet the quality, volume and delivery requirements of large institutional buyers, they added.
UNI DS
Tags: #Huddle Global: Experts call for scale-up capital# NRI investments to strengthen Kerala startup ecosystem
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