Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, two vibrant cities in the southern Indian state of Kerala, are making waves on the national stage as emerging startup hubs. According to a recent survey conducted by NASSCOM in partnership with Deloitte, these Tier-2 cities have secured their spots on a prestigious list of 26 emerging startup hubs across India.
The survey mainly focused on the evolution of technology hubs in Tier-2 cities and it highlighted the growing importance of these cities in India’s technology landscape. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi stood out for their rich pool of science, technology and management graduates abreast to their thriving startup communities. Thiruvananthapuram, in particular, earned praise for its lower risk of natural disasters, strong social infrastructure and simultaneously a plentiful supply of skilled professionals.
Vijay Kumar, Chairman of the Kerala Regional Council at NASSCOM, said that several Tier-I cities are now eyeing these two cities as potential locations. The survey highlighted Kerala’s talent pool as a key factor and reputation for safety as well as orderliness. He further added that an MNC based in Hyderabad has expressed interest in launching operations in the state.
The report further highlighted the real estate attractiveness and connectivity of both cities. Kochi received praise for its availability of real estate options. Thiruvananthapuram was rated as good in the same category. Both cities also scored well in terms of real estate costs. Thiruvananthapuram was found to have a slight edge in technology development, especially in areas like edtech, health tech and fintech, as well as cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT and robotics. However, both the cities were categorized as moderate in terms of ease of doing business compared to other locations.
