Chhattisgarh wants to replicate Kochi Startup Village

Kochi, March 15
After Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, officials from Chhattisgarh government visited the Kochi-based Startup Village to learn more about the incubation facility and explore ways to set up a similar amenity in their state.

This Startup Village, is the country's first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model incubator which completed its 1,000th day on January 10.

It has produced 533 startups, 116 of them being campus startups, and created a total of 2,889 jobs with a total valuation pegged at Rs 292 crores.

A high-level delegation led by Rajat Kumar, joint secretary to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, visited Startup Village and held discussions with the executives to understand its working model and their possible support and expertise in setting up a facility at Naya Raipur.

"We are very impressed with the whole ecosystem that MobMe, the Union Department of Science and Technology, the Kerala government and other players have together created for the young entrepreneurs," said Kumar.

The Chhattisgarh government is planning to start a project along similar lines.

"It is amazing. Startup Village has set an example for the industry and we have come here to learn more about it. We want to replicate this model in our state to provide opportunities to our youth," said Chhattisgarh Infotech & Biotech Promotion Society CEO Saurabh Kumar.

The Kochi Startup Village chairman Sanjay Vijayakumar said they are really happy that the other states are looking up to them for inspiration.

"We will soon bring out a blueprint on Startup Village that can be adopted by other states," said Vijyakumar.