Technopark-Thiruvananthapuram, the flagship IT infrastructure of the Kerala Government, is now home to more than 200 IT and ITeS companies employing more than 30,000 IT professionals.

Among these are five PCMM-Level 5, six CMMI-Level 5, four CMM-Level 3, and over 20 ISO-9001 certified companies.

Led by Infosys, there are many domestic and international players in the industry which have already set up their units of varying sizes and operations.

HOME-GROWNS

Rubbing shoulders with them are home-grown enterprises – the likes of UST Global, IBS Software, SunTec Business Solutions, among others – which have gone on to make their presence felt in the industry firmament.

But in recent times, Technopark has also excelled in the mentoring of start-ups through a separate initiative, the Technopark Technology Business Incubator (T-TBI).

Founded in 2006, T-TBI is a pioneering initiative funded by the Department of Science and Technology, which provides incubation support to budding entrepreneurs in the knowledge-driven industry.

“The biggest success of T-TBI is its contribution in fostering the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth,” says Mr Mervin Alexander, Chairman, T-TBI, and Chief Executive Officer, Technopark.

The T-TBI acts as a platform for new and innovative entrepreneurs to develop their ideas into products and services and build businesses out of them.

COMPLEMENTARY INITIATIVES

Several other complementary initiatives ranging from the Technopark Business Incubation Centre, National Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship, Technopark- TePP Outreach Centre (T-TUC) and Technopark Software Engineering Competency Centre (TSECC) have helped create an eco system that nurtures and supports entrepreneurs.

The T-TBI is unique in itself because of its novelty in spreading techno-entrepreneurship among students and innovators, Mr Alexander says.

It has been a pioneer in introducing various programmes such as ‘technopreneur' workshops; entrepreneurship awareness camps; entrepreneurship development programmes; residential faculty development programmes; bar camps; boot camps; one-to-one and panel discussions; software engineering workshops; online mentoring and networking; ‘TechTop,' the all-India competition for students with arguably the highest prize money on offer; engineering students' project exhibitions; entrepreneurship development cells; TBI extension centres and virtual incubation to pre-incubation facilities.

SEED SUPPORT

Besides, T-TBI financially supports budding ‘technopreneurs' through a seed support system and help mould them technically to become successful entrepreneurs.

Technopark Business Incubation Centre (T-BIC) is a proven model of business incubation that offers congenial environment for an enterprise to grow during their start-up phase to generate successful global ventures. T-BIC provides ready to move in, plug and play facilities for start-up companies. Essential operational support services such as security, reception service, telephone operator service, and photo copying are offered by Technopark as part of the package.

In addition, necessary business support services. including business consulting, mentoring and advisory services, right from the stage of company formation, are also provided. This enables the entrepreneur to build up their enterprise at the required international standards.

BUSINESS CONCEPT

The concept of technology business incubation works to identify potential entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, nurture them through different phases of growth until the business takes off to a maturity level where it becomes a financially sustainable venture.

Hence, the incubation activity plays a catalytic role in promoting indigenous technology development and entrepreneurship.

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