Chennai, February 8th, 2024: The Hon’ble Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Thiru. T.M. Anbarasan, unveiled a series of groundbreaking initiatives by the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission at the CMRL Building Auditorium, Nandanam, on Wednesday (07.02.2024).
Among the highlights, the Hon’ble Minister inaugurated Smart Cards for Startups, providing the first 10 startups with access to a wide array of products and services at subsidized rates, tailored to meet the specific needs of early-stage startups. These offerings cover essential areas such as Legal & Compliance, Marketing/Business Consulting, Finance and Insurance, Human Resource and Smart Workspace, Software and IT/ITES, and Media and Entertainment.
Furthering the commitment to inclusivity, the Minister disbursed sanction orders totaling Rs 9.05 Crore to four startups led by entrepreneurs from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Communities, as part of the Tamil Nadu SC/ST Startup Fund.
In another stride towards empowerment, the Minister launched products and services from 20 startups led by women entrepreneurs under the Women Launchpad initiative. This platform aims to boost brand visibility and market presence for startups through offline and online channels.
Additionally, the Minister introduced the Open Innovation portal, facilitating collaboration between corporates, government agencies, innovators, startups, and researchers to tackle challenges through innovative solutions.
Furthermore, the Minister inaugurated a Branding Course titled ‘Nil-Brand-Sell’ as part of the BrandLabs initiative by StartupTN, offering startups valuable insights from branding expert Mr. Praveen Shekar.
Addressing the gathering, Hon’ble MSME Minister Thiru. T.M. Anbarasan highlighted the State Government’s efforts to foster a thriving startup ecosystem, including various funding opportunities such as TANSEED, Tamil Nadu SC/ST Startup Fund, and the Innovation Voucher Program. He also acknowledged Tamil Nadu’s recognition as the ‘Best Performer’ in the Union Government’s States’ Startup India Ranking, crediting the Regional Startup Hubs established by StartupTN for promoting entrepreneurship across the state.
The event witnessed participation from MSME Secretary, Tmt. Archana Patnaik, I.A.S., Mission Director and CEO of StartupTN, Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan, and branding expert Mr. Praveen Shekar.
