Representational Image (ETV Bharat)
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has unveiled ‘Kerala Tech’, a new overarching brand aimed at repositioning the state’s technology sector and expanding its focus beyond conventional information technology to emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, electronics, biotechnology and other future technologies.
As part of the restructuring, the Electronics and IT Department will be renamed the IT, Future Technologies and Startups Department, reflecting the government’s broader vision for technology-led economic growth.
The initiative seeks to modernise Kerala’s IT ecosystem, expand investment opportunities and create a more integrated platform for entrepreneurs, startups, investors and technology professionals.
‘Kerala Tech’ To Become Single-Window Platform
A dedicated Kerala Tech portal is planned as a comprehensive single-window platform providing information and services for investors, entrepreneurs, startups and technology professionals.
The new IT policy targets the creation of 500,000 jobs and 20,000 startups across the state.
The initiative is expected to have a direct bearing on major institutions including Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, Cyberpark in Kozhikode, Digital University Kerala and Kerala Startup Mission.
The government has also decided to transform the Kerala IT Mission into the Digital Transformation Mission, signalling a wider shift from conventional IT administration towards technology-driven transformation.
IT Parks To Embrace Emerging Sectors
Under the new approach, IT parks will be modernised to accommodate a wider range of industries, including information technology, artificial intelligence, electronics, biotechnology, tourism, logistics and creative industries.
The government also plans to expand the role of the Investment Promotion Board to facilitate larger investments in the industrial and technology sectors and strengthen Kerala’s efforts to attract global companies and investors.
AI Gets Special Focus
Artificial intelligence is a central component of the new strategy.
Under the Centre’s IndiaAI initiative, an IndiaAI Centre of Excellence is being established under Digital University Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram with the support of the state government.
The centre is intended to promote entrepreneurship in AI and develop the skilled workforce required for the emerging technology sector.
Another major proposal is the development of Infopark Phase III as an AI-native city spread across more than 500 acres through a public-private partnership model.
The proposed development is envisaged as more than a conventional IT park, with workplaces and associated infrastructure designed around emerging technology industries.
From ‘IT Park’ to ‘Kerala Tech’
The government believes that the traditional description of facilities as ‘IT parks’ no longer adequately reflects the changing technology landscape.
The Kerala Tech identity is intended to encompass a broader ecosystem in which technology, startups, research, innovation and multiple sectors converge.
The rebranding follows other recent efforts to create unified and modern identities for government initiatives, including the Industries Department’s adoption of the ‘K’ branding.
Officials see the new technology identity as part of a longer-term strategy to position Kerala as an international destination for technology investment, research and innovation.
The government expects the initiative to strengthen the state’s startup ecosystem, attract high-value investments and create skilled employment while enabling Kerala’s established IT hubs to expand into emerging technology sectors.
With artificial intelligence increasingly reshaping industries worldwide, the ‘Kerala Tech’ initiative represents an attempt to move the state’s technology ecosystem from a traditional IT-park model towards a broader, future-oriented digital economy.
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