Kerala Startup Mission to establish IEDCs in medical colleges

The Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is gearing up to establish Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Cells (IEDCs) in medical and dental colleges across the State.

As part of the initiative, KSUM, in association with Kerala Medical Technology Consortium (KMTC), Indian Medical Association (IMA), Department of Medical Education (DME) and Kerala University of Health Science (KUHS), launched a State-level workshop series here to create awareness on the importance of setting up IEDCs in medical institutions across the State.

Talk with stakeholders
A.P.M Mohammed Hanish, Principal Secretary, Health department, interacted with stakeholders, including senior administrators and decision makers from medical colleges and dental colleges across Kerala, in the first edition of the workshop series.

Noting that doctors are crucial partners for start-ups that seek to address healthcare challenges, Mr. Hanish said by leveraging their knowledge of patient care and emerging trends, doctors can offer invaluable guidance to start-ups at every stage of development.

Rathan U. Kelkar, Secretary, Electronics & IT, said by bridging the gap between academia and industry, these collaborations have the potential to drive transformative changes in medical innovations.

Anoop Ambika, CEO, KSUM, said as the momentum behind IEDCs continues to grow, stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem are encouraged to support and participate in these initiatives, driving meaningful progress and innovation in the field.

C. Padmakumar, special officer, KMTC, was present on the occasion.

Major objectives
The major objectives of IEDCs in the health sector are to help clinicians identify and solve functional gaps in healthcare delivery.

The workshop series is aimed at creating IEDC clusters in medical/engineering/arts and science institutions and enable interdisciplinary product development. They will also provide support for technology transfer and patent filing, apart from conducting technology workshops, boot camps, and hackathons.

The next workshops are scheduled in Kozhikode on March 15 and in Kochi on March 22. The Hindu