Keralam's flagship startup festival Huddle Global 2026 to begin tomorrow

Huddle Global 2026, the three-day annual conference of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will begin in Kovalam,  Thiruvanthanapuram, on November 12.

The eighth edition of the flagship startup meet of KSUM will see the participation of more than 4,000 startups, 200 High Net worth Individuals, over 300 startup mentors, more than 200 corporates, 150 plus exhibitors, over 150 investors and 300 speakers, Anoop Ambika, CEO, KSUM said.

V.D. Satheesan, Chief Minister of Keralam, will inaugurate the event.

An investment platform that will feature 76 Venture Capital (VC) investors and more than 50 Angel Investors for startup founders is a key feature of event. Startup founders will have the opportunity to explore funding prospects through the platform ‘Investment Track,’ featuring interactions with VC and angel investors, to be held on the sidelines of the three-day event, Ambika said.

 “The flagship event will feature panel discussions, an AI film festival, product launches, roundtable conferences of GCC leaders, exhibitions, 500 plus investor matchmaking opportunities, business networking and mentoring sessions. It is designed as a dynamic platform for startups to showcase cutting-edge innovations, raise capital, find strategic partners and receive mentorship,” Ambika said.

The Huddle Global Roundtables will bring together a select group of 20 to 25 domain leaders per session. These sessions will be chaired by the Chief Minister, the Minister for IT & Industries, Department Secretaries, State Planning Board Members, University Vice Chancellors, and the CEO of KSUM. The flagship Chief Minister’s Roundtable brings together country ambassadors, global innovation pioneers, select founders, and institutional investors. Besides, master class and vendor clinics will be held, Ambika informed.

On November 14, T Siddique, Minister of Agriculture, will attend KERA Fund announcement and grant distribution ceremony where the minister will give away grants to seven companies and product development grant to 32 companies. 

The Venture Capital and investment firms taking part at the event include Seafund, 8x Ventures, Celesta Capital, Bharat Innovation Fund, Yali Capital, Kalaari, IvyCap Ventures, Colossa Ventures, Speciale Invest, 3one4 Capital, Transition VC, Sathguru Catalyser Fund, Tetration Ventures, Pontaq VC and Omnivore. Angel networks, including KAN, MAN, IAN Group, Phoenix Angels, and Real Time Angel Fund, will attend.

The expo at the event will showcase Next-Gen innovations and technology that can accelerate Keralam’s transformation into a knowledge-based industry hub. Humanoid robots, autonomous drones, sustainable energy solutions, biomedical devices, and smart city innovations designed to address pressing global challenges will be on display at the expo.