Startup hubs
Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode
Nodal agency
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM)
Official portal
Tracks
By Women For Good
Kerala Startup Mission is the template other states copy. It runs one of the largest incubation footprints in the country, funds ideas before anyone else will, wires student innovation into colleges statewide, and even helps mature startups soft-land in international markets. If you want a system that holds your hand from idea to export, this is it.
Flagship support
Idea and innovation grants
Early grants for students and first-time founders at the idea and prototype stage, before private capital shows up.
Seed loan support
Low-friction seed loans that bridge product-ready startups to their first revenue or round.
Incubation and Fab Labs
Large leased-space network plus fabrication labs for hardware prototyping across the state.
International exchange
Soft-landing programmes that place Kerala startups in partner ecosystems abroad.
Who gets extra doors opened
For women founders
KSUM runs dedicated women-entrepreneurship programmes, reserved cohorts and the Women Startup Summit, plus back-to-work tracks for women restarting careers through founding.
For startups solving public problems
Social-impact grand challenges run with government departments, and a rural innovation network sources problems and pilots outside the big three cities.
Getting started in Kerala
Register on the KSUM portal; student founders should route through their college innovation cell.
Apply for idea-stage grants with a simple concept note; KSUM reviews in regular cycles.
Use KSUM incubation and Fab Labs while you build; graduation connects you to seed loans and investors.
Official sources
Verify everything here before applying
startupmission.kerala.gov.in startupindia.gov.in (central schemes)Building in Kerala? Do not build alone.
Join the hub for the Starter Boost: volunteer expert consultations, curated resources and webinars, at no cost. Then use the community to find your people in Kochi and beyond. Founders never pay to be here.
Scheme details, amounts and eligibility change over time and by notification. This page is a plain-language starting point, not official or legal advice. Always confirm the current rules on the official portal above before applying, and if a link has moved, search the program name to find its new home.