According to her, if the state pushes for Wayanad to have more incubation centres, then they should have some Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which are a privately pooled investment vehicle set up or registered in India, to come and invest in the district. “Everything depends on how we tap the energy and make the district grow further. This is going to be a collective effort,” she adds.
On how Startup India zeroed in on Wayanad as the place for the next startup hub, Mamatha says, “We pick up the districts that have the potential for the startup ecosystem to grow from the list of aspirational districts released by NITI Aayog.”
With various success stories of young innovators and entrepreneurs with initiatives focused on sustainable agriculture and eco-tourism, the district is catching the eye of those closely associated with the startup ecosystem in the country. Some of the startups like Nithin M Joy’s BoTToB Tech Solutions, which focuses on solar cookers and hydroponics farming, and Seshadri Sivakumar, revolutionising saffron indoor cultivation using aeroponics at LNS AgriTech, are some of the examples. These young innovators are not only building successful businesses but also contributing to the local community and economy.