Trichy is becoming a hotspot for Startups

WITH big cities expanding rapidly and the populations increasing exponential-ly, a disaster, be it natural or man made, such as the Chennai floods in 2015 would have an adverse effect on economies. Information Technology (IT) sector As IT majors are looking at decentralisation in order to cut costs and tap unutilised potential, Tier-II cities are now eyeing a sea of opportunities to shore up their infrastructure and employ locals. With more startups coming up in in Tiruchy, The New Indian Express starts a two-part series focusing on the potential and possibility of Tiruchy becoming an IT hub. Tiruchy: A train journey from Chennai to Tiruchy or for that matter, any of the delta districts on weekends would make commuters feel they are on a lei-sure trip with software professionals. This is due to the large number of youth from the delta districts who've made Chennai their second home after taking up employment with any reputed IT firm. However, with the populations of Chennai and Bengaluru soaring in the past decade by 7.8 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively, between the 2001 and 2011 census, IT majors seem to have no other option but to move out of metros. So, what would happen if these migrated youth returned and were employed in their hometowns? A few years ago, startups were an unknown concept, known only to a handful of people who traveled overseas. But now, everything has changed and Tiruchy has about a  dozen startups operating close to city limits and successfully employing youth in their hundreds .
A start-up ANY company or organisation that starts from scratch is a startup. Startups are booming in Tiruchy but away from the media and public glare. The Care Group of Institutions in Thayanur, a startup engaged in predictive intelligence work, was launched back in 2014 and employs dozens of techies. A source in the IT sector said that many startups are looking at Tier-11 cities like Tiruchy, Coimbatore and Madurai as second base for its operations. Foray In Tier-II cities With operational costs increasing in metro cities, including Chennai, startups are now choosing to operate from Tier-11 cities. "Compared to Chennai, rent for office space and travel expenses in cities like Tiruchy are affordable. Though pay scales may differ in Chennai and Tiruchy, a section of our employees prefer to work close to home rather than staying in big cities where the cost of living is high," Karthik Thenalur, co-founder of Fund, a startup functioning within Care College, told Express. Tiruchy, the advantage BESTOWED with several engineering colleges, universities and arts and science institutes, Tiruchy is rich in human resources. Its location in the central portion of the State means connectivity to as many as eight nearby districts is an added advantage for employees to access their hometowns than working in Chennai.


ADVANTAGE TIRUCHY

Cost of living cheaper compared to Coimbatore and Chennal
Quality of life better than metropolitan cities
Presence of large number of technical Institutes which could be utilised as incubators
A few startups in Tiruchy Happy Hens - Organically reared chicken for meat and fed with natural food.
Kuppalvandi - Online waste management startup collecting waste from residents at their doorstep Fiind - A tech startup associated with predictive intelligence for Identifying potential customers in potential territories through predictive indicators
Benefits for educational institutes

One of the main reasons for a startup like Fiind to operate in Tiruchy is the amicable environment in the city. There are no issues with office space, security and network connectivity. As Tiruchy is dotted with several engineering colleges, startups said it would be appropriate for educational institutes to accommodate startups on their campus. "If these institutes support startups, we can give internships to resourceful students of certain colleges and also nearby institutes. Both sides benefit", said Find team
Source: epaper . new indianexpress . com//c/20691643