If all goes according to the plan, Mangaluru is likely to become the first startup district in the country, as per a report in The New Indian Express.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada Dr KG Jagadeesha, Commerce ministry officials have contacted him in this regard.
Speaking to Express, Dr Jagadeesha said, “It is true that the top ministerial officials from the Union ministry of commerce, on the directions of the Union minister Nirmala Seetharaman, had met me and sought an opinion. As per my conversation with them I understand that Mangalore might get the first startup district tag. But I have not received anything in writing yet”.
According to a report in YourStory, the Centre has decided to set up incubators at two reputed institutes in the region viz. National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, a premier engineering college in the coastal district and NMAM Institute of Technology, an engineering college under Nitte University.
These two institutes were selected on the basis of having the latest facilities and infrastructure, the report says.
The report adds that the Karnataka government has also set up a startup fund – the first in the country – which will provide funds up to Rs 50 lakh per startup.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “The incubator is set to encourage ideas that require technological intervention. Soon, these labs will become a source of inspiration for startups across the country as StartupIndia, a central government fund for startups, is set to fund more eligible companies the next financial year.”
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