Kerala is poised to witness a significant tech milestone as Zoho Corporation inaugurates the state’s first artificial intelligence and robotics research institute in Neduvathur on July 2. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will officially launch the Zoho Research and Development Centre, marking a new era in Kerala’s innovation landscape.
In its first phase, the centre is expected to provide employment to around 250 individuals. During a preparatory visit, Finance Minister K N Balagopal noted that this project would unlock opportunities in advanced tech domains and contribute to upskilling the state’s educated youth. He emphasized that such initiatives could boost IT and electronics industries and serve as a replicable development model for other regions in Kerala.
The centre’s establishment reflects Zoho’s deepening footprint in the state, following its initial foray via the Kerala Startup Mission’s Leap Centre at the Campus Industrial Park of Kottarakkara IHRD Engineering College.
Leaders including Neduvathur grama panchayat president V K Jyothi, district panchayat member V Sumalal, local member R Rajasekaran, Kerala Startup Mission CEO Anup Ambika, Zoho principal researcher Jayaraj Porur, and programme manager Mahesh Bala joined the finance minister during the inspection.
With its focus on AI and robotics, the Neduvathur centre is expected to be a game-changer in bringing high-tech jobs and innovation to semi-urban Kerala.