Zoho chief Vembu, historian Darlymple to speak at Huddle

Sridhar Vembu, founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, will deliver the keynote address at Huddle Global-2024, a major startup conference organised by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM). The event will take place in Kovalam from November 28 to 30, bringing together a diverse range of speakers and experts from various sectors.

Mr Vembu, whose company is internationally recognised for its efforts to train rural youth in advanced technologies and create employment opportunities, will share his insights on the role of technology and innovation in empowering communities. The conference will also feature historian William Dalrymple, who is known for his writings on Indian history. Mr Dalrymple will discuss his latest work, The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World, on the final day of the event.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the event on November 28, aiming to highlight the strength of Kerala’s startup ecosystem, attract investment, and build global business partnerships.

The conference will include a variety of panel discussions and sessions led by prominent figures from the startup world, industry leaders, and diplomats. Notable speakers include Consul Generals Erik af Halstrom (Finland), Jonas Brunschwig (Switzerland), Richard McCallum (UK-India Business Council), and Silai Saki (Australia). A key panel discussion on "Startup-Beyond Borders" will address the global challenges and opportunities for startups.

Other sessions will cover topics such as Kerala’s technological growth, the potential for startups in the creative and cultural sectors, and the future of aviation technology.

ISRO chairman will grace the event

One of the highlights of the conference will be a talk by Dr. S. Somnath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), who will discuss the growth of India’s space technology sector and ISRO’s role in advancing technological capabilities in the space industry.

On November 29, experts will explore global startup investment opportunities. The session will feature Laura Raghill from ROI Ventures, Takahisa Ohira from Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support, and Prem Barthasarathy from Pontaq Partner. The panel will examine the challenges and opportunities in the global startup investment landscape.

The final day will feature a session focused on the sustainable growth of edtech startups. Ananthu S. from Xylem Learning, Rameez Ali from Interval Learning Platform, and other experts will discuss the challenges and potential in the education technology sector.

The closing session will feature corporate leaders sharing their leadership experiences. Speakers will include Kamolika Gupta, former Group Vice President at ServiceNow, and Deepali Nair, Chief Marketing Officer at CK Birla Group, among others.