The CyberPark UL in Kozhikode, Kerala, aims to become a "disruptive technology hub" rather than competing with its peers in India to become another computing hub.
In India, many IT facilities offer outsourcing and back-office services to many technology companies around the world, but TS Ravikumar, UL Cyber Park's new operations manager, told LaComparacion Middle East that his intention is to provide Kerala IT professionals with high-tech work in their native territory.
UL CyberPark is part of the Uralungal Labor Cooperative Society (ULCCS), established in 1925, the largest worker cooperative society in Asia.
The park was inaugurated in 2016 and today it houses 72 companies and around 2.000 employees.
UL CyberPark is the third computer center in Kerala, after Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram and Infopark in Kochi.
"We are targeting 50,000 employees in the park over the next seven years and will make Kozhikode the next computer center in the world," he said.
After taking office a few months ago, his superiors informed Ravikumar that they wanted to compete with other IT parks in the country.
Despite their late party, Ravikumar knew it was difficult to face the competition because they were behind and were over 25-30 years old compared to other large IT parks in India.
"It is difficult to be part of the rat race and become the next world computer center. What we can do is consider and visualize the future of information technology in order to visualize and make Kozhikode the innovative technology center. From this Way, we don't compete with Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Bengaluru or Hyderabad, "he said.
Furthermore, he said that the global IT economy was worth € 8 million and the Indian IT market was worth only € 140 billion.
Huge growth potential
"We have enormous potential to penetrate the global market with disruptive technologies such as blockchain, internet of things, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data analytics," Ravikumar said.
Kozhikode's benefits, he said, are the National Institute of Technology (formerly the Regional College of Engineering), the Indian Institute of Management (fifth in the country) and the I & # 39; Calicut University (250,000 students drop out each year).
He added that Kozhikode only generates 15,000 engineers a year, but that the Indian education system has the drawback of not pulling students out of school with the skills required by employers.
To bridge the gap, he said the park had already established a skills school and facilities to upgrade the skills of engineers in Kozhikode.
"We created a technology solutions company, UL Technology Solutions, specialized in disruptive technologies. Each of the blockchain, IoT and cybersecurity vertical heads is led by global experts. We have the experience to recruit people for our organization and extend it to companies that they come and we also offer consulting services to a lot of startups in the park, "he said.
The park adds an additional 3 square meters to attract business from around the world and establish its offices and absorb local talent.
Ravikumar said he plans to hold a disruptive World Summit in Kozhikode in late November to showcase his facilities and talent capabilities, with the aim of attracting companies from around the world. Europe, Asia and the United Arab Emirates.
"We are confident that Kozhikode will be in the spotlight in the next five to ten years and will attract big names from the technology industry," he said.