Kerala has officially launched the Construction Innovation Hub (CIH), a first in the country. The hub seeks to promote affordable and sustainable building facilities, while also establishing a platform for collaboration, innovation and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders. Read the complete report on SURFACES REPORTER (SR):
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is handling the overall programme management, including activity identification, and recruitment of nascent companies as well as providing them with technical expertise and connections concerning housing requirements. The CIH has been set up in association with Habitat for Humanity India, an American non-profit organisation which caters to low-income families by building homes and providing related services.
CIH Bridges the Gap between Construction Practices Worldwide
Kochi, home to KSUM's headquarters, will be the host of the CIH. At the launch ceremony in Chennai on Thursday, CEO Anoop Ambika discussed how this initiative has the potential to bring together construction knowledge from all over and make advancements in Southeast Asian countries through cost efficiency, quality control and timely completion of projects.
The partnership between KSUM and HFHI, which began in 1976 at Americus in Georgia, will work to create shelter technology together and bolster upcoming technological projects; a sentiment echoed by Shri Ambika during his keynote address at Sheltertech Summit India in Chennai.
Advanced Technology and Innovation
The hub is an important platform for KSUM to showcase its role as a secretariat for the nodal agency and also provide a full-time contract for CIH. Additionally, KSUM plans to set up a startup space at KTIZ in Kochi and host events to increase visibility and reach broader audiences.
Access to its innovation lab digital space is governed by the platform, which can be used to create pilot projects aimed at low-income housing or construction skills. There is also support available for startups/scaleups in regard to financial or any other needs. Upon launch, applications from startups, students, and MSMEs can be submitted to KSUM for evaluation purposes. Various roadshows and reverse pitch initiatives are planned so the best startups nationwide can be identified.
An advisory council composed of the most relevant stakeholders is to be established, and plans are in order to facilitate early-stage innovators to initiate challenges and group knowledge sessions, in the first 12 months for college students, during the Sheltertech Summit.
The event was set out to address topics such as 'Innovating for the Next Billion Homes', 'Nurturing an Ecosystem and Value Chain for the Next Billion Homes' and 'Beyond Bricks and Mortar — Exploring the Future of Green Building Materials'. There was also a Demo Day which showcased ShelterTech startups partnered with Villgro Innovations Foundation.
With its ambition of providing an entrepreneurial future for all, Kerala State Startup Mission (KSUM), with its nodal status for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities is getting ready to launch.
* Images are for representation purpose only
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