thiruvananthapuram: With an educational background in photonics and aerospace engineering and professional experience in multiple countries,Yedhu Krishnan returned post the Coronavirus pandemic with a plan to build aerospace systems India has long relied on imports for. the vision led the 39-year-old kannur native to launch his startup ‘Specrule’ in 2022 to develop advanced laser and optical measurement systems for aerospace applications.
“I considered Thiruvananthapuram becuase it’s home to the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). I get access to labs and student-interns here,” said Yedhu, adding the state’s network of institutes and human resources are useful for a startup, tho he could have attracted more seed money in other states.
Specrule is not an anomaly. The state, once seen as a fading presence on India’s investment and startup picture, is slowly moving up the ladder, with policy reforms and by tapping into it’s infrastructure and institutional network.
as per the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) data, the number of startups registered in kerala has grown steadily over the past few years-from just 21 in 2016 to 121 in 2017, 277 in 2018, 594 in 2019, and reaching 1,128 by 2024. As of October 2025, more than 7,200 startups are registered in the state, according to official figures. Unofficial statistics, however, put the number to be about 13,600, according to KSUM CEO Anoop Ambika.
This growth, Anoop said, is the compound effect of a change in attitude towards entrepreneurship as well as the state’s changing investment climate.
“Many from the diaspora in the UK,the US,and elsewhere are reaching out with renewed enthusiasm to establish ventures in Kerala.The current geopolitical climate, coupled with the state’s growing (investment and startup) ecosystem, gives them confidence,” he said, adding the state is currently focusing on attracting investment in the knowledge economy, utilising its existing research network, such as Specrule.
as per the States’ startup Ranking 2022 (which ranks states and Union Territories based on their support to startup ecosystems), released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and internal Trade (DPIIT) in January 2024, Kerala was listed among the ‘Best Performer’ along with Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Himachal Pradesh.
The report noted that the state government has taken several ‘praiseworthy initiatives’, including ensuring institutional support, facilitating events for networking, as well as launching schemes to promote startups that also impact rural areas.
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India had more than 1.4 lakh startups recognised by DPIIT as on 30 June 2024, with Maharashtra leading with 25,044, followed by Karnataka (15,019), and Delhi (14,734).