Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reaffirmed the state’s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, revealing that over the past nine years, Kerala has nurtured around 6,200 startups, attracting investments of Rs 5,800 crore and generating 60,000 job opportunities.
“Kerala is now recognized as one of India’s most startup-friendly states. In the Startup Ranking 2022, we were ranked as a top performer and also secured the first position in Asia in the Affordable Talent Ranking, as per the Global Startup Ecosystem Report. Between 2021 and 2023, our startup ecosystem expanded by 254 per cent, far surpassing the global average of 46 per cent. This remarkable growth is a direct result of proactive government initiatives,” Vijayan stated.
He made these remarks during the inauguration of ‘Permute 2025,’ a major skilling festival organized by GTECH MuLearn. The event aims to position Kerala as India’s top destination for knowledge-based industries by providing students with access to industry mentors and skill-building opportunities. 
Vijayan underscored the critical role of MuLearn, an initiative by the Group of Technology Companies (GTECH), in transforming the state into a technology and talent hub. He further announced plans to develop a deeptech ecosystem in Kerala to bolster its startup landscape and drive long-term innovation.
V.K. Mathews, Chairman of GTECH, emphasized the importance of ‘Permute 2025’ in ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled professionals to support the rapid expansion of the IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) sector. He highlighted MuLearn’s pivotal role in bridging the gap between academic institutions and industry needs.
“The global technology sector expanded to $5.2 trillion last year and is expected to grow by 10 percent this year, reaching $5.9 trillion. Meanwhile, India’s IT industry is on track to grow to $282 billion this year and is projected to reach $300 billion next year,” Mathews stated.
However, he cautioned that challenges such as increasing deglobalization and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) could reshape the industry.
“As per a McKinsey report, the productivity gains from Generative AI will contribute approximately four per cent to global GDP, with significant effects on customer interactions, sales and marketing, research and development, and software engineering,” he added.
With a strong foundation in place and strategic interventions underway, Kerala is poised to emerge as a national leader in startups and technological innovation.
