Initiated with an aim to create a digitally empowered India through home-grown ideas and solutions, the ‘Intel & DST Innovate for Digital India Challenge’ has launched its Kerala Chapter today here at Technopark. The Fiber Net will come to every household in Kerala in the next three years, enhancing broadband connectivity in the state and reading 1.3 million people, said Shri P H Kurian, Principal Secretary, IT and Industries, addressing the Kerala chapter.
The principal secretary said that Kerala is the only state where every panchayat is connected by 100 Mbps connectivity through optical fibre connectors. Shri Kurian also stressed the need for a digital economy where the interaction between government departments and citizens could be made through a digital or electronic medium, leading to better governance. “If every citizen is empowered, the vision of a 100 per cent digital India can become a reality,” he said, urging Intel to start their lab in either Technopark or Inforpark campus.
The campaign is jointly launched by Intel Technology India and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) with the support of the Department for Electronics and Information Technology and MyGov.in, Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship Cell (CIIE) and IIM-A. The Kerala chapter of the initiative is partnered by the Kerala Startup Mission.The initiative aims to integrate the immense entrepreneurship talents to create products and solutions that provide easy and effective technology in the hands of every citizen. “Kerala is the best-suited place for the challenge, as an enabling ecosystem has already been enabled by Start Up Mission, Startup Village, Technopark and Infopark,” Shri Jayasankar Prasad C, CEO Technopark T-TBI said.
The innovation challenge seeks applicants to work on an ideal citizen’s device platform that can be widely used by the public and includes biometric sensing capabilities, peripherals using other sensors, intuitive user interface, gesture recognition, multilingual support and voice support along with mobile applications that accelerate delivery of e-governance services. Shortlisted ideas will get a three-month accelerator programme in Bengaluru and Pune, where mentors will assist and guide the young innovators to bring their ideas to life through funding and marketing. Participants will also have access to grants and equity investments of up to Rs 1.5 crore.The first ten best products will be granted Rs 5 lakhs and the top three will be getting access to funds of Rs 20 lakhs each. Shri Linson Joseph, Head Govt and Education Business, Intel Technology India Pvt Ltd and Shri Girish Babu, CEO Technopark were also present.
The registration closes on June 22, 2015.
