Thiruvananthapuram, March 14,2014: Home-grown enterprises provide best possible platform for sustained industry growth in Kerala, according to S Rajeev, Director, Asian School of Business.
He said this while giving opening remarks ahead of a lecture on fundraising options for start-up companies by UK Sinha, Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), and hosted by the School.
Local flavour
Local flavour has been the highlight of the State’s chequered industrial and entrepreneurial history, Rajeev said.
The small ventures of 1996 when he had left the State have gone on to become multi-national companies. Start-up companies too have been proliferating since.
In this context, he requested Sebi to favourably look into crowd funding options.
“Crowd funding is market research in disguise as it gives a preview into how well the product or application may be received upon completion.”
Sanjay Vijayakumar, Chairman, Startup Village, Kochi, said on the occasion that India is fast becoming a knowledge economy where people, ideas and creative infrastructure matter a great deal.
He too alluded to crowd-funding options to support creative and high-risk enterprises that might not be able to raise funds from traditional sources. C Balagopal, Senior Advisor, Terumo Penpol, urged high-networth individuals to invest in start-ups that show passion and enthusiasm to excel and make a difference.
The ecosystem had changed a great deal for the better than when he quit IAS 25 years ago and started his enterprise, a blood bag and medical devices manufacturing company.
Panelists representing the industry recorded appreciation to emerging opportunities for raising funds unlike in the past. Anuradha Balaram, Member-Secretary, Kerala State Planning Board, was also present on the occasion. Representatives of various industry organisations, students and stock market enthusiasts participated.
