World innovation summit to turn TN's Coimbatore into global startup hub

Chennai, Oct 2 (IANS) Coimbatore is gearing up to host one of the country’s largest startup and innovation gatherings as the World Innovation Summit 2025 will take place on October 9 and 10 at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex.

Organised by the Tamil Nadu Government’s StartupTN (TN Startup and Innovation Mission), the two-day summit is expected to bring together an unprecedented mix of global investors, innovators, and business leaders.

According to officials, more than 200 international startup experts, 30,000 participants, and over 50 prominent Tamil Nadu brands will be part of the event.

The summit will feature 150 national and international speakers, 750 exhibition stalls, 75 business development centres, over 10 unicorn and soonicorn companies, and 100+ investors from across the world.

The government is positioning the event as a platform for startups to scale globally, find funding, and network with major industry players.

A key highlight of the summit is the ‘Master Class’ programme, designed to guide both aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage startups. The sessions will cover practical knowledge and strategies to transform innovative ideas into profitable businesses.

Across two days, 11 curated sessions will be conducted on critical topics such as venture creation strategy, AI-driven management, turning ideas into sustainable enterprises, leveraging Google tools, online business development, using WhatsApp for business growth, and data-driven decision-making.

Several global tech giants and academic institutions will contribute to the knowledge-sharing initiative, including Google, Meta (parent company of WhatsApp), Harvard University, Zoho, PhonePe, Venture Studio Forum, Natwithout Risk, GAMA, and Design Thinking collectives.

Participation is by selection and pre-registration only, and passes are mandatory for entry.

The government has made arrangements to provide registered attendees with two days of networking opportunities, curated learning material, and professional resource kits. Lunch and refreshments will also be provided. Entrepreneurs and innovators interested in attending can register through the ‘TNGSS’ mobile application or the official conference website tngss.startuptn.in. Officials said seat allocation will be done on a sector-wise priority basis to ensure a diverse representation of industries.

The Tamil Nadu government sees the summit as a milestone event that could help propel the state toward becoming a global innovation and startup capital, reinforcing its goal of nurturing entrepreneurship and attracting significant investments.

--IANS

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