Interview carried by Indian Express

GTech planning CEOs’ tour to Germany

The Kerala IT sector is all set to make a post-recession take-off. As part of a new investment initiative, the Group of Technopark Companies (GTech) is planning to lead a CEOs’ delegation from the Kerala’s IT industry to Germany during June 2010 to showcase Kerala as a promising investment destination for German companies in the technology sector. Close to 25 companies would be participating in this event to explore the European market through Germany, said CEO, GTech, Binu Sankar.

GTech is in the process of preparing a framework for the German visit and is currently working out the modalities for organising business meetings in three German cities - Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt, said Binu. GTech has already started discussions with the State of Bavaria office to arrange business sessions and government meetings in Germany. There are also plans to seek the help of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and Bitcom (NASSCOM of Germany) to help the member companies scout for business opportunities, he said.

``We have basically two objectives in undertaking this CEOs’ delegation to Germany. One is to showcase Kerala as a potential investment destination to German companies and second is to identify business opportunities for companies in Technopark and other IT parks in the State,’’ said MD, Palnar Transmedia Pvt Ltd, Syed Ibrahim.

Through this collaboration, Kerala IT industry offers a host of benefits to the German economy and industry with high cost competitiveness, technology-skilled human resources and knowledge of German language - which is very important because it infuses a lot of confidence in Germans.

``Technopark is also initiating the formation of a strategic Indo-German research team which will act as a catalyst in exploring opportunities for the Kerala IT industry and provide a platform for cultural and educational exchange programmes,’’ said Technopark CEO Mervin Alexander.

During his recent visit to Technopark, the German Ambassador to India, Thomas Matussek, had given his complete assurance to bring Kerala into the limelight and to the official IT business map of Germany. He also promised that he will talk to the Bavarian state, which is the silicon valley of Europe and Germany’s Tech capital.

According to Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) report, IT exports from Kerala in the year 2008-09 amounted to Rs 1,800 crore, out of which Technopark’s contribution was Rs 1,400 crore, said Binu.

Despite the global economic slowdown, Kerala has registered a growth of 43 percent in software exports compared to 2007-08.