Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is set to roll out a pioneering initiative aimed at grassroots innovation with the launch of India’s first-ever Innovation Train, scheduled to depart from Thiruvananthapuram on December 21 and reach Kasargod the following day. The journey coincides with the IEDC Summit 2025, to be held in Kasargod.

Designed as a mobile innovation lab, the Innovation Train will function as a real-time ideation ecosystem. It will feature structured problem-statement boards, guided design-thinking workshops, rapid validation tools, mentor interaction sessions, and live pitching zones. Young innovators and students from across Kerala will collaborate during the journey to identify and address local challenges spanning livelihoods, climate resilience, agriculture, fisheries, healthcare, public services, and education.

KSUM expects the initiative to generate over 200 actionable and implementation-ready ideas, rooted in lived community experiences. According to Anoop Ambika, CEO of KSUM, the Innovation Train creates a clear pathway from grassroots problem discovery to institutional support and market linkage, reinforcing inclusive and bottom-up innovation across regions beyond urban centres.

Selected ideas will receive structured mentoring, proof-of-concept development, incubation support, and visibility at the IEDC Summit, further strengthening Kerala’s student-led startup ecosystem.