Kerala: Emerging IT Hub Redefining its Identity Beyond Tourism

The Information Technology sector of India includes a huge range of businesses and services, including hardware and software development, networking and telecommunications, internet services, e-commerce, digital content creation, and IT consulting. With the global recognition received for the state's excellence in sustainable and responsible tourism practices, Kerala remains focused on preserving its natural beauty while promoting responsible tourism that benefits local communities. Similarly, the emerging IT hubs have shown that opportunities for employees have risen significantly over the past few years.

Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, Infopark in Kochi, and Cyberpark in Kozhikode play a crucial role in the growth of the IT sector in Kerala. These Technology parks and infrastructure have become the best sector for IT-enabled services, attracting companies and talent. Technopark, which is the nation’s first IT Park is also recognized as the world’s greenest Technopolis.

Kerala has achieved international recognition for its start-up sector, ranking first in Asia in the category of affordable talent in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) prepared by the US-based Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network. Kerala is also ranked 4th globally, up from 20th in 2020. The Kerala Startup Mission is providing funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities for budding entrepreneurs, fostering innovation and growth.

The 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report published by UNESCO has three special mentions about the use of technology in the education sector in Kerala. Interval, an innovative educational technology (ed-tech) start-up from Kerala, has garnered international acclaim for its ground-breaking education approach. It has achieved a remarkable feat by being selected as a part of Finland’s prestigious ‘Talent Boost’ project, initiated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Finland to attract skilled talent and investors across diverse sectors.

The government has envisioned a holistic growth plan for the state with the hub-and-spoke development model. Technopark (Thiruvananthapuram), Infopark (Kochi), and Cyberpark (Kozhikode) act as hubs for satellite centers in the hinterland. Technopark is Kerala’s first IT park with more than 486 companies employing more than 72,000 IT professionals. All phases of Technopark, including its satellite center in Kollam overlooking the Ashtamudi lake, actively engage in development efforts, offering readily available IT built-up spaces and unencumbered land for leasing, making it an inviting destination for businesses seeking to thrive in the heart of Kerala’s technological landscape. Ever since Kochi’s Infopark’s inception in 2004, Infopark has been growing fast and attracting investments from IT majors. The 260-acre campus is divided into Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and non-SEZ facilities. There are 572 companies that employ about 65,900 professionals as of 2023. The park is built on the 'Hub and Spoke model' for the development of the IT industry in Kerala. Infopark acts as the hub for the spokes located in Thrissur and Cherthala. Recently, Infopark and Kochi Metro Rail (KMRL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to construct flexi workspaces for IT/ITES at the Ernakulam South Metro station. According to the MoU, flexible workspaces will be established across six floors of the metro station, spanning 39,880 sq. ft., creating job opportunities for over 500 individuals. Cyberpark offers tailor-made workspaces, intelligent infrastructure, and end-to-end solutions for global IT/ITeS companies. It is strategically planned, road-mapped, and fast-developing as the ideal destination for investments in the information technology sector. The three IT parks together have more than 1200 companies that employ over 1.5 Lakh IT Professionals. Technopark is extensively laid out across 768.63 acres of land in 5 phases, with 11.22 million sq. ft. of built-up space. Infopark has a total built-up area of 6 million sq. ft. and Cyberpark has a combined built-up area of 8 Lakhs sq. ft. The facilities and ecosystem available here attract more people to work in such spaces.

“Young talents are coming up with new ideas, and new companies are paving the way to make the space active in Kerala. More youths are engaged in introducing their startups and marking IT hubs as the best spaces to work at. Infopark's vibrant infrastructure and the increasing number of startups in Kerala have sparked significant growth in the state's IT sector. The ecosystem of the IT park in Kochi offers excellent facilities for companies to establish and expand their businesses. The Kerala IT Policy 2023 Draft includes how we can facilitate the IT ecosystem working outside IT Parks, the association between IT parks and skill development institutions aims not only to fill job vacancies but also to generate a skilled workforce. This is achieved by offering short-term certificate courses to individuals already employed in various positions. These courses ensure they stay updated with the latest advancements, continually upskilling themselves for the benefit of the company. According to the India Skills Report 2024, Kerala emerged as the preferred state for youth to work. Additionally, Kochi has become the top choice among the top 10 cities where most women prefer to work.” - Susanth Kurunthil, CEO, Infopark.

Kerala IT is a synergy of technology and ecology with people in its forefront. The state is digitally driven and has world class IT/ITeS and emerging technologies ecosystem. The government has launched umpteen schemes to support budding entrepreneurs in the state. Known for excellent infrastructure, ease of doing business, availability of robust startup ecosystem, sound social fabric, great talent pool and good mobility (air, rail, road & sea) Kerala and Thiruvananthapuram in particular are already in the global radar as emerging technology destinations. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi figure as 'Emerging Technology Hubs of India' as per Deloitte Nasscom report. Thiruvananthapuram is one of the two cities of India categorised as "Out of the Box cities" for future business and software development as per recent BCI Global study report. The world now recognizes Kerala as a great place to live, work, and play, showcasing a model followed by Technopark as well. With readily available unencumbered land, Technopark welcomes key co-developers to its campuses, for creating a mutually beneficial environment for developers and companies seeking space at Technopark. It's a perfect destination for global players to establish their global capability centres." - Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), CEO, Technopark.