Kerala CM to inaugurate KSUM’s first Infinity Centre in Dubai on June 18

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the first Infinity Centre of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) in Dubai on Sunday, rolling out his government's ambitious programme of setting up one-stop destinations across the world to strengthen the state’s ecosystem for nascent companies.

Vijayan, who is on a tour to US and Cuba, will arrive in Dubai to take part in the event.

Chief Secretary V P Joy will chair the ceremony at Taj, Burj Khalifa, a KSUM release said, adding that the event will mark the start of a series of such launch pads for Kerala's startups to explore foreign markets by enabling non-resident Indians to help become entrepreneurs in association with KSUM.

''The idea of Infinity Centres comes in the context of NRIs totalling 3.2 crore, topping India in the global list of hosting the largest number of migrant citizens,'' the release said.

''Adding about $78 billion in remittance to the Indian economy, they play a huge role in the development of India. Considering this, KSUM conceived the Startup Infinity as an initiative to help the NRI community set up business in Kerala and tap into their vast amount of resources to support nascent companies,'' it said.

Ambassador to UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, State IT and Electronics Secretary Dr Rathan U Kelkar, KSUM Chief Executive Officer Anoop Ambika, Consul General of India (Dubai) Dr Aman Puri, Lulu Group International CMD M A Yusaf Ali, Aster DM HealthCare MD Azad Moopen, IBS Executive Chairman V K Mathews and Norka Roots Vice Chairman P Sreeramakrishnan will take part in the event.

The Startup Infinity programme aims to unite the NRI population and encourage them to launch their own businesses both abroad and in Kerala.

It said the launch pad will act as a global desk in select countries where the NRI community can engage, co-create and set up businesses — either in their resident country or in India.

KSUM, in its bid to institutionalise the success of these foreign delegations, plans to start the Infinity Centres across the world on a pilot basis.

Initiated with the objective of helping Kerala-based startups explore the overseas market, the Infinity Centres seek to make Kerala a key point of access for overseas startups to explore the Indian market, it added.

KSUM is the nodal agency of the Kerala government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.