Kerala is gearing up to roll out dedicated entrepreneurship hubs for students across all districts, with the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) leading the initiative. Named Freedom Square, the project aims to create spaces where students can explore ideas, collaborate on technology projects, and nurture business ventures—right from their college years.
The first pilot centre will come up at Technopark Phase 4 in Pallippuram, Thiruvananthapuram, on a two-acre plot owned by the tourism department. KSUM sources indicated that the model would later be replicated in other districts across the state.
Each centre is planned as a 20,000 sq ft space, with an estimated cost of around ₹4 crore.
According to KSUM, the design of Freedom Square is modelled on the Apple Inc. headquarters in California, focusing on open innovation and collaboration. The funding and operational costs are expected to be mobilised through private partnerships, rather than relying entirely on public funds.
Freedom Square is being envisioned as a round-the-clock facility that offers a blend of learning and creativity, providing Tinker Labs, Maker Spaces, and Experiment Stations to promote hands-on innovation among students.
The project goes beyond workspaces. Proposals include setting up food courts, gaming zones, amphitheatres, wellness centres, and toilet facilities alongside the core innovation zones. KSUM officials say the centre will be inclusive, with high-speed internet and facilities designed to support women and persons with disabilities.
The project is part of a broader vision to give young people the opportunity to ideate, prototype, and possibly launch startups while still in college.
It is not yet clear whether students will be charged a fee to access Freedom Square or whether it will be fully subsidised. That decision is expected to be taken before the public launch of the first centre.
The initiative marks another step in Kerala’s push to position itself as a startup-friendly state, though many details—including timelines for district-wide expansion—are yet to be finalised.
