A graphene-manufacturing unit of excellence will shortly open at Maker Village in Kochi city as an ₹94.85-crore joint endeavour of the Union and Kerala governments.

The proposed project aimed at boosting the production of the valuable allotrope of carbon will mark a new chapter of innovation in the country’s technological field, according to Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Electronics & IT.

“Our companies should strive to make best advantage out of today’s environment that focuses on electronics and information technology. As innovation and geniuses form crucial to the system, graphene has become a thoroughly futuristic product,” he said at the launch of a Graphene Aurora program after a visit to Maker Village, which is the country’s largest electronic hardware incubator and ESDM facility.

Mr. Sharma said Maker Village at Kalamassery has been the model for other states in electronics incubation. “The IT sector must work towards raising the reputation of India, backed by a determined administration amid a hope-filled world of industry,” he added.

Also Read | ‘Kochi’s Maker Village model to be replicated across the country’

Kerala Principal Secretary (Industries & NORKA) Suman Billa said the state has selected 22 industrial sectors suiting its ecosystem. “As we work on strengthening them, the focus will be on the electronics and IT companies,” he said. “We will promote projects that integrate academic research that can be of practical use.”

State IT Secretary Rathan U. Kelkar said Kerala was set to complete an array of start-up-boosting projects in the next five years. “The industrial sector is earning excellent support from the IT sector,” he pointed out.

Kerala Digital University Vice-Chancellor Saji Gopinath said the 2016-founded Maker Village initially envisaged the incubation of 40 start-ups, but overshot the target by taking the total to 140. “Today, start-ups here even collaborate with the Defence sector,” he revealed.

Maker Village, which is a pioneering start-up initiative of the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has Indian Institute of Information Technology-Trivandrum as the implementation agency and Kerala Start-up Mission as the supporting partner. 

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