State’s startup ecosystem: CM praises M Sivasankar

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated a startup festival organized by DYFI on Saturday. The startup festival by DYFI reflects the change that has occurred in Kerala society, he said.
"This is a different spectacle. The startup festival is a great example of innovative ideas by DYFI, which led numerous protest programmes in the state," said Vijayan. Mainstream media in Kerala is neglecting all positive developments, he added.
The chief minister recalled the contributions of his former principal secretary, M Sivasankar, in fostering an ecosystem conducive for startups in the state. Without mentioning Sivasankar by name, Vijayan said he remembered the valuable contributions of the officer towards development of the startup ecosystem. The officer faced severe difficulties due to some personal weaknesses, he said.
Vijayan said the startup sector in Kerala registered a 254% growth in 2023-24. The national growth average during the period was only 44%, he said. "When someone pointed this out, it became a huge controversy," he remarked, in a purported reference to an article by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
DYFI is organizing the startup festival under the name ‘Mavazo', which means ‘ideas' in the African Swahili language. The programme aims to promote startup ideas of youth by providing them with a platform to present their ideas.