Srini Srinivasan (second from right) hands out a plaque to Dr. Saji Gopinath (fifth from right) in recognition of Kerala Startup Mission's contributions to improve the startup environment in Kerala

PMI Kerala Chapter and Kerala Startup Mission collaborate to boost the startup ecosystem in Kerala

PMI India joined hands with Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) to host a first-ever startup summit, Hatch 2020, in Thiruvananthapuram on 18 January. Hatch 2020 provided a platform to startup founders to share their success stories and vision for India’s growing startup ecosystem.

Through the summit, PMI wanted to create awareness about the role of project management techniques in creating the right work ethos in a startup.

The summit brought together entrepreneurs and industry stalwarts from the startup ecosystem across different verticals. Over 50 startup founders showcased their ideas in front of angel investors and high net worth individuals who are potential investors. They got an opportunity to also network and collaborate with them.

At the inaugural session, Vineesh Kathuria, managing director, SenseAI Ventures, spoke about an oft-avoided topic – failures. He related real-life challenges that he had faced while launching his own startup, including raising funds and finding the right partners.

Dr. Srini Srinivasan, managing director, PMI India, said, “We are extremely excited to provide a platform, in partnership with Kerala Startup Mission, for enthusiastic entrepreneurs to share their ideas and success stories. Through this initiative, PMI India intends to empower startups with relevant project management frameworks and toolkits, which will improve their business agility - an important element for their success and growth.”

Dr. Krishnakumar T. I., president, PMI Kerala India Chapter, said, “We are delighted with the response and the ideas shared by these young entrepreneurs. We will continue to provide opportunities to them through seminars, open forums, and other professional programs. This initiative will go a long way in establishing strong networks for startup professionals in the future.”

PMI India honored the KSUM team for their recent achievements to support startup growth. KSUM has been a key facilitator in building the startup culture in Kerala.

Dr. Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), said, “We are happy to partner with PMI to encourage and facilitate the startup industry in Kerala. With this initiative, we plan to address the typical challenges that startups have to overcome such as time to market, and testing unexplored markets and new products. We believe that in addition to providing the basic amenities, governmental support, and industry connections, entrepreneurs must be well equipped with project management tools and methodologies to achieve their goals.”

The startups that presented at the summit included Ibis Fresh, Johnson Medicom, Inforich Technology, Significant Online, Jansree, Screen Fuel Productions, Freelance.DC, Forfit Technologies, Irahloom, Potafo, FlockForge, and Dreemsrock. Startups under KSUM who showcased their concepts were DaaD.io, Hirestaar, and TravelSPOC.

Dr. Krishnakumar moderated a panel discussion on how to overcome some of the typical challenges that startups face. The other panelists were Ashok Kurian, head, business linkages and incubation, KSUM; Nishore C L, director - engineering services, CTS; and Brajesh Kaimal, director, Experion Technologies, and founding member of PMI Kerala Chapter.