TiEcon Kerala 2025 opened at The Zuri, Kumarakom with a clear intent: bring the State’s startup community together and spark new ideas, new connections and new possibilities. The event has drawn founders, investors, mentors and business leaders from across India.
Ranganathan’s Roadmap for Founders
C K Ranganathan, Founder and Chairman of CavinKare, opened the sessions with a practical look at the six stages of an entrepreneur’s journey. He spoke about the confusion of the early phase, the need for structure and the importance of building systems that help a company grow.
His main point was that founders should know where they stand and move forward with purpose. He encouraged young entrepreneurs to think continuously, invest in their personal growth and build discipline. Real progress, he said, begins when founders stop doing everything themselves and start creating systems, delegating and thinking long term.
Kerala’s Growth Story
C Balagopal, Chairman of KSIDC, challenged the idea that Kerala is a slow or stagnant market. He shared data showing the State’s GSDP has grown nearly six times since 2000 and per-capita income has risen from 1,000 to almost 12,000 US dollars. Multidimensional poverty has dropped to 0.5 percent.
He said Kerala is now one of India’s strongest consumer-driven markets and urged entrepreneurs to see the State’s rising incomes, strong demand and skilled workforce as a major opportunity.
Helping Founders Scale With Confidence
Vivek Krishna Govind, President of TiE Kerala, said TiEcon 2025 aims to help founders develop stronger leadership and global exposure. Dr Geemon Korah, Vice President of TiE Kerala and Chair of the event, added that this year’s focus is on sustainability and scalable growth.
The inaugural session also featured insights from Sheenu Jhawar of Apex Hospitals, Aju Jacob of Synthite, Executive Director Divya Thalakkalatt and former TiE Kerala Presidents Damodar Avanoor and Jacob Joy.
Pitch Bay Highlights Emerging Talent
Pitch Bay, one of the conference’s main attractions, saw emerging startups present their ideas to a jury that included V K Mathews of IBS Group, Aju Jacob of Synthite, Navas M Meeran of Group Meeran, Ajit Moopan of MN Holdings and Nazneen Jehangir of Nest Digital. Startups received direct feedback and exposure to experienced industry leaders.
Capital Café Finale Recognises Two Startups
This year’s Capital Café finale selected two standout ventures.
FemiCura HealthTech impressed the jury with its eco-friendly maternity pads and baby wipes made from eco-certified cotton and biodegradable materials, designed to offer safe and chemical-free postpartum care.
Eight Times Eight, the second winner, is building a global chess-learning platform for children aged 5 to 15, helping improve focus, patience and cognitive skills.
Since 2018, Capital Café has been a launchpad for early-stage startups, offering visibility, investor access and guidance toward funding.
