Thiruvananthapuram’s AI hub has received 56 startup applications for its second batch, including 24 from outside Kerala, signalling growing national interest in the city as a base for artificial intelligence companies. Applications have come from 22 states and include startups from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Gurgaon and Noida.
The India AI Centre of Excellence (CAIK), located at Technopark Phase IV in Pallipuram, was launched on September 30 with an initial cohort of 15 startups. It is part of the Union government’s India AI Mission and is being implemented by Digital University Kerala (DUK), with Innovation Incubator Advisory Pvt Ltd as its industry partner.
The 24 applications from outside Kerala account for nearly 43% of the total. The response has come within weeks of the centre’s launch and is being viewed by its officials as an early indication that Thiruvananthapuram can attract technology companies beyond the state’s established startup ecosystem.
CAIK is designed to offer more than conventional incubation support. The centre aims to connect startups with government departments, research institutions, datasets, computing facilities, investors and potential customers. It also intends to help companies test their technologies in real-world settings before taking them to market.
DUK vice-chancellor Saji Gopinath said the response had exceeded expectations and attributed the interest to the academic and business ecosystem in Kerala, particularly Thiruvananthapuram. He cited the city’s talent pool and its strengths in deep technology, space research and biotechnology as factors that could help startups develop and expand.
The centre is also seeking to support original artificial intelligence technologies rather than applications built mainly around existing AI tools. CAIK chief executive M S Shiv Shankar said founders needed access to investors, customers, government and industry partners, datasets and real-world deployment opportunities, in addition to computing capacity and incubation space.
Startups working on Indian-language artificial intelligence tools could use regional language resources and academic collaborations available through the ecosystem. The first cohort includes Audio Realities, which develops speech-processing and audio AI technologies, and Keynos, which works on AI-powered financial automation. Open Healthcare AI, another participating startup, has expanded its operations to Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand.
Keynos co-founder Bushair AP said experienced entrepreneurs often required strategic guidance, rapid market testing and strong business networks rather than conventional incubation alone. CAIK’s intensive, zero-equity model allows participating startups to receive support without surrendering an ownership stake. The centre’s next steps will involve selecting startups for the second batch and linking them with the institutional, technical and commercial partners available through the programme.
