Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that the state’s IT exports are poised to touch the ₹1 lakh crore milestone, reflecting the rapid transformation of its digital economy. Speaking at the Kerala Urban Conclave and during the inauguration of Zoho’s new R&D hub in Kottarakara, he highlighted that Kerala’s start-up ecosystem has witnessed a 21-fold growth over the last nine years, with more than 6,400 start-ups now active, creating thousands of jobs and drawing significant investment.
The Chief Minister underlined the state’s focus on campus-level interventions to nurture a skilled workforce, ensuring that students are industry-ready from the beginning. New initiatives like Zoho’s campus, which will train 250 young professionals in cutting-edge technologies, underscore this vision.
Reports also show that Kerala’s start-up ecosystem is expanding at nearly 20% annually, supported by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), which has helped generate over 65,000 jobs and facilitated funding of US$665 million.
However, experts note that the ₹1 lakh crore export figure may be more aspirational than confirmed, as official audited data often lags. Similarly, the “21-fold” growth depends on how start-ups are defined and counted. Even so, Kerala’s trajectory makes clear that it is emerging as one of India’s most vibrant IT and start-up destinations.
