Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Thiru. T.M. Anbarasan, Hon’ble Minister for MSME, unveiled ‘Startup Thamizha,’ Tamil Nadu’s inaugural Business Pitch Reality TV show, designed to spot 50 promising startups statewide and facilitate funding from esteemed entrepreneurs and angel investors.
‘Startup Thamizha’ has already garnered funding commitments totaling Rs. 200 crore from reputable investors. Refex Group pledges Rs. 100 crore, Dr. Velumani of Thyrocare and Pontaq commit Rs. 50 crore and Rs. 25 crore respectively, and Native Lead Angels contributes Rs. 10 crore, with additional investments from various other stakeholders.
An innovative initiative by StartupTN, the Government of Tamil Nadu’s primary agency for startups and innovation, the show is slated for three seasons. Production for the inaugural season begins in February 2024 and will be broadcast on a leading Tamil TV channel. Brand Avatar, Blue Koi, and Refex Capital will manage the production.
The launch event featured addresses from Tmt. Archana Patnaik, I.A.S., Secretary to Government, MSME Department, Mr. V. Arun Roy, I.A.S., Secretary to Government, Industries Department, and Mr. V. Vishnu, I.A.S., MD & CEO of Guidance Tamil Nadu. Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan, Mission Director & CEO, StartupTN, set the initiative’s tone, and Dr. A. Velumani, Founder, Thyrocare, delivered the keynote address. Dignitaries included Mr. Hemachandran L., Founder & CEO, Brand Avatar, Mr. Balachandar R., Founder, Blue Koi, and Mr. Dinesh Kumar Agarwal, Group CEO, Refex Group.
Mr. Sivarajah Ramanathan commented, “Startup Thamizha exemplifies the collective commitment of the Tamil Nadu Government through StartupTN in fostering a thriving startup ecosystem, fostering economic growth, and realizing the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s vision for a prosperous Tamil Nadu.”
Aspiring entrepreneurs eager to join this transformative journey can register at www.startupthamizha.tv. The applying startups will undergo a rigorous five-stage screening process, engaging industry experts, investors, and key ecosystem members. From this selection, 50 startups will be shortlisted, each prepared for mentorship and training to present their ideas on mainstream television during primetime.
Submitted by PR Agency
