Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is gearing up to host the fifth edition of the Huddle Global conclave, set to become India's largest beachside startup gathering.
The event, kicking off on November 16, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and is expected to draw 15,000 delegates to the scenic Adimalathura beach near Vizhinjam.
CEO Anoop Ambika shared details during a press conference held on Tuesday.
The event will see the convergence of around 15,000 delegates from within the country and abroad, he said.
It aims to showcase cutting-edge products from emerging sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, life sciences, space tech, blockchain, IoT, e-governance, fintech, healthtech, agritech, edutech, and SaS from across the country's ecosystem.
The event assumes added significance as it happens at a moment when the state is well on track of a profound transformation into a knowledge economy, Anoop said.
The critical role played by the state's well-established startup ecosystem in that paradigm shift cuts across the entire socio-economic spectrum, he said.
An expo on the sidelines of Huddle Global will give 100-plus nascent companies an opportunity to display their products. They can also interact with experts from technology and industry for advice on investment opportunities, he said.
The conclave will also be a window to display a wide range of eco-sustainable and value-added products made out of millets, crops and fruits.
Tinku Biswal IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue and Housing, will preside over the opening ceremony.
Shashi Tharoor, MP, Belgium's Ambassador to India, Didier Vanderhasselt, Minister Commercial and Head of Austrade South Asia, Catherine Gallagher and Deputy Managing Director (Transaction Banking & New Initiatives) SBI, Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh, will address the inaugural, an official release said.
Key speakers at the November 16-18 event include Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas; CEO of ONDC T Koshy and Member Secretary K-DISC P V Unnikrishnan.
Huddle Global will feature keynote sessions, leadership talks, tech talks, and panel discussions with international embassies, industry experts, investors, venture capitalists and corporate leaders.
It will bring immense opportunities for startups to get mentored by industry leaders with an in-depth understanding of various aspects of products, services, design, marketing strategies, capital structuring, fundraising and business development, the release said.
The event, organised in partnership with Startup India, Headstart, TiE Kerala, GTech, Startup Middle East, Habitat for Humanity and Technopark Today, will see the participation of more than 5,000 startups, 400 HNIs, 300 mentors, 200 corporates, 150 investors and speakers,it added.
