OPPO India announced its partnership with the Government of Kerala through the Kerala Start-up Mission (KSUM) to strengthen the start-up ecosystem in the state. With this association, OPPO will collaborate with KSUM to extend support to the tech start-ups and stimulate incubation activity in Kerala. The partnership is aimed at invigorating the start-ups and creating a healthy ecosystem for students, entrepreneurs and the start-up cohort in the state.
The MoU reinforces OPPO’s commitment to bolster innovation in India in line with the Government’s vision. As part of the MoU, OPPO will systematically develop and support start-ups and entrepreneurs working in areas specific to camera and image processing, battery, networks (5G), system performance, payments, Artificial Intelligence, and gaming. The start-ups will be selected basis the solutions they provide towards key problems faced by Indian mobile users, with the intention of using their idea, application, technology or service to help enhance consumer experience for OPPO users.
Speaking on the announcement, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Miniter, Kerala said, “We are pleased to partner with OPPO for this initiative, to help build a conducive and supportive ecosystem for local start-ups. We have always worked towards introducing programs and initiatives that empower and nurture local startups and entrepreneurs in Kerala, enabling them to establish themselves in their respective industries. This collaboration with OPPO will help to provide important guidance and mentorship, which will enable them to tackle industry challenges with their solutions, more effectively. We wish the participating startups the very best and hope that they will make the most of this program.”
Dr Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission said, “We are confident that this partnership with OPPO will help boost Kerala’s efforts to nurture innovations and start-ups in the technology space. It is a landmark agreement that will help budding entrepreneurs in transforming their innovative ideas into scalable businesses”
Commenting on the association, Mr. Tasleem Arif, Vice President, and R&D Head, India said, “OPPO is committed to the development of the country and recognizes that innovation and entrepreneurship are crucial for the future growth of the economy. We are dedicated to foster this growth through strategic partnerships and knowledge-sharing in-accord with public organisations such as the Government of Kerala through Kerala Start-up Mission (KSUM). With this partnership, OPPO along with KSUM aims to create a conducive ecosystem for start-ups by implementing a framework that enables entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, and by creating the necessary infrastructure required for promoting entrepreneurial activities. We are hopeful that this collaboration will go a long way in boosting the start-up ecosystem in the state.”
OPPO’s R&D Centre in Hyderabad, its largest outside China, has been playing a crucial role in the company’s innovation efforts. In line with the Start-up India program and thrust on Digital India, OPPO aims to play an active role in mobilizing the untapped potential of Indian entrepreneurs. OPPO understands that such opportunities are crucial to the success of young start-ups and thus aims to provide guidance and mentorship to help them scale their business. OPPO has a similar MoU with the Government of Telangana that was signed earlier this year.