InfoPark - Updates & Discussions

[mohammedirshad06]

At 6.30 p.m. on a Monday, Gigo Joseph, the CEO of Infoparks, Kerala, has just concluded a meeting with the District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth about an alignment of an electricity cable that is passing through Smart City as well as Info Park, Kakkanad. It had been a hectic day. It began with a public function at a school in Kochi, followed by a staff meeting and other engagements.

Appointed around two months ago by the state government, his brief is simple. “The government wants to improve the IT footprint in the state,” he said. “We need to become competitive with other states. At the moment Kerala lags far behind. While the IT industry is worth `3,000 crore in Kerala, in Karnataka it is `80,000 crore.” Joseph explains the reasons behind Karnataka’s success. “Bangalore had been established as an IT hub earlier,” he says. “There is a good pool of talent available, and there is still scope for growth. Senior executives at multinational companies say they keep getting good people, they are growing, so why move out?”

Nevertheless, Joseph is trying hard to woo investors, by travelling to other states. And in the process, he is learning about how others perceive God’s Own Country. “There is a fear that Kerala is not an investment-friendly state,” says Joseph. “I have told the investors that those who have set up shop in the park have not lost a single day owing to labour problems or strikes. I encourage them to talk to the clients who are already here, like US Technology International, Cognizant, and Wipro.” At present, there are 75 companies, which employ 15,000 people.

He cites other advantages. “Electricity-wise, we are stable, as compared to a state like Karnataka, where there are power cuts of five hours or more,” he says. “The tariff is half that of Bangalore. In rentals, in Bangalore, premium places will go for `50 to 60 per sq. feet. In Kochi, you can get it for Rs 25 sq. ft.”

But, for most employers, the big worry is the lack of entertainment. For IT professionals, the weekend is a time to unwind, after a five-day week where an employee spends more than nine hours daily at work. “Most of the outsiders feel that Kochi is a sleepy town and there is nothing to do in the evenings,” he says.

Joseph talks about the presence of malls like the Oberon, the Gold Souk, and the upcoming Lulu. “I tell them that there are many good restaurants, and classy hotels like the Vivanta by Taj and the Ramada resort,” he says. “There are many scenic places to visit, where professionals can unwind on the weekends. Kerala has an unique charm of its own.”

Of course, another complaint is that the local talent is not as good as those found in Bangalore, Chennai or Hyderabad. “Definitely, the talent in Kerala needs exposure to reach the levels of Bangalore,” he says. “Hence, they need to be given training by various companies that come here.”

Joseph’s former company, Infosys, has a six-month training programme for beginners. “When Infosys hires 35,000 people per year, there is an urgent need to give training so that the freshers can reach the level the company desires,” he says. “I am sure Keralites who are hired from here, if given similar training, will do well. One must remember that there are many successful Malayalis working in the IT industry in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and all over the world.”

Meanwhile, Joseph’s immediate priority is to develop the 160 acres available in Phase-2 of the Info Park in the next eight years. “If I can do this, 80,000 jobs will become available,” he says. “When Smart City comes up, a similar number of openings will materialise. So, we are talking about 2 lakh jobs.” And not to forget the Info Parks at Cherthala and Koratty, which are also Joseph’s responsibility. “I am excited that I can contribute in some way to the development of the state,” he says.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/gigo-on-t...56-60-122.html

[mohammedirshad06]

Microsoft has nominated Kochi-based Team Frontline Ltd to its prestigious President’s Club, a group representing only top five percent of its enterprise solution partners worldwide. Team Frontline Ltd has become the only company from Kerala to receive the recognition for its efforts to catalyse enterprise solutions growth in Kerala by supplying and implementing Microsoft ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions in many leading corporates in Kerala.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/microsoft...18-60-122.html

[mohammedirshad06]

Finsoft IT Solutions, a Kochi based web design and development firm, is launching a new web design service and methodologies that will bring high traffic to its clients online. Finsoft IT Solutions thinks these new changes would help its global clients. Clients can get their websites designed at their development center in Kochi city of Kerala India.

Finsoft IT Solutions have introduced a CMS based web design technology that will bring a good amount of visitors thus the potential visitors would turn into their clients. In the new web design methods they incorporate better techniques to overcome a high level of competition in local SERP by implementing their proven SEO methodologies that will benefit their clients worldwide.

Finsoft IT Solutions outsource web design and web related works from the USA, Canada, UAE, UK, and Australia to India, thus providing quality web services to global clients at much cheaper rates.

Sources said that Finsoft IT Solutions revolutionary Joomla customization, wordpress website design, CMS platforms and shopping carts are becoming popular among clients world wide.

Contact Finsoft IT Solutions developers in Kerala India for the next personal or business website design and hosting needs of new as well as established business owners.

http://www.pr.com/press-release/344222

[mohammedirshad06]

The second cyber police station in Kerala will be set up at Infopark in six months.

“We just got sanction for a police station at Infopark in Kakkanad. The exclusive cyber station will come up in the same building in six -months time. Like the Trivandrum Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, it will serve the whole state,” said city police commissioner M.R. Ajith Kumar.

However, focus will be on online crimes reported from the industrial city.

There is a marked rise in the cyber crime rate in the city, forcing the police to warn internet café owners of strict action on failing to maintain contact details of visitors.

They have asked owners not to allow anyone without ID cards to use the facility.

“We selected Kakkanad for the new police station as a lot of cyber crimes are reported from the Infopark and also it is easy to co-ordinate with the complainants which include software companies,” another police officer said.

DC Kochi

[agnath.]

Infopark Kochi invites competitive sealed tenders in 2 bid system (Part-1 & Part-11) from competent entities for running a guest house at the park campus near Kakkanad in Kochi. The terms and conditions are detailed in the “Request For Proposal” (RFP).

The 25, 000 sq.ft. guest house consists of twenty guest rooms complimented with a business meeting place, indoor recreation area, dining place, kitchen, driver’s room, etc. It has four suits and sixteen double rooms. The entrance lobby consists of a double height atrium with two glazed elevators overlooking an indoor lobby.

Proposals are invited from agencies with experience and good financial background to operate the guest house for five years and at par with a 4-star hotel by bringing in remaining items like water coolers in dining hall, deep freezer for kitchen, kitchen equipment, crockery and cutlery, soft furnishings, television, set up box, etc. The assets provided by Infopark shall be returned to Infopark in good condition at the end of the contract period or when the contract is terminated, whichever is earlier.

The tender forms will be issued till August 12, 2011 4 pm. The last date and time for receipt of tender is August 19, 2011, 3.30 pm. The technical bid will be opened at 4pm the same day. The tender document will cost Rs 3000 + VAT @ 4.04% and the Earnest Money Deposit is Rs. one lakh.

Source : http://www.infopark.in/tenders.php
Source : http://www.keralait.org/blog/?p=9327

wheres this guesthouse constructed ? is it in the infopark campus ? if it is, where exactly is the location of this in Infopark, does anybody have an idea ? keralaitblog, shows the picture of a building as well....

[Malayaali]

Any update on Accenture's entry to Kochi??

[Malayaali]

Experion Technologies @ InfoPark

Experion Technologies India, the Technopark based mobility solutions and IT services company, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in July, is expanding its operations to Infopark and plans to be 200 by this fiscal. Very innovative with its unique products in the mobility space, the company has found excellent customer appreciation from the complex Indian market. Its focused software services on newer technology platforms have found over 40 customers from the developed markets in the last three years.

In a release, Binu Jacob, MD & CEO, Experion said, “Experion is a company that has remained small until three years back, as a small offshore services arm for its European promoters. It quickly shifted gears to be a Mobile products company after the arrival of seven senior executives from leading Technopark companies. With a management team formed pretty much like the Infosys who took to first generation entrepreneurship in the prime phase of their career, Experion seems to have all the complementing skills to make a great success”.

Experion has spread out in the global market quickly and won contracts from all its regions. It has set up legal entities in US, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Australia and has customers from all these territories. It scaled up from a mere 10 people three years back to 135 personnel and plans to add another 65 by the financial year end. Experion recently opened its development centre in Infopark Kochi with an additional capacity for 50 personnel.

Experion has a very innovative product called FieldMax that runs on ordinary GPRS mobile phones for automating the sales force of FMCG, Pharma and distribution companies. Currently Experion is making plans to roll out this product nationally. Apart from the product suite, it also undertakes mobile software development services in all major platforms like the iPhone, Blackberry, Android, etc for its overseas clients. Recently Experion made significant inroads into the Nordic market by signing important contracts in the mobile application space as part of the Kerala IT and GTech delegation to the Nordics.

Kerala IT News

[Rajith]

Originally Posted by Malayaali

Any update on Accenture's entry to Kochi??

Accenture in Kochi? Good to hear... Can you please provide the source?

[Malayaali]

Originally Posted by Rajith

Accenture in Kochi? Good to hear... Can you please provide the source?

Not official, insiderz knew about it

[Malayaali]

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by Malayaali

Malayaali... Your series of pics are really amazing and wonderful, that reflects the ultra-chic urbanity of the growing city like Kochi. Hats off to the photographer in you

I have an appeal. It would be wonderful, if you can upload these pics under Creative Commons Licence (free licence) in Flickr or Picasa, so that surely these pics can be used in major forums/sites like wikipedia/ blogs etc, which will give a major boost to our city.... (Sorry if you have any commercialization interests)

[Malayaali]

Thank you for the compliment.

I do not think these pics are worth winning IPA! so i don't put copyrights on that. Any one can use it and i am not sure about what you said, may be i can provide you the pics so that you can do the job

[mohammedirshad06]

I have seen some graphic impressions from Kumar Group's website





These two drawings are listed as IT/Urban development projects in Kochi. Any idea what is going to be these? Or is it shelved?

[KMC]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

I have seen some graphic impressions from Kumar Group's website

These two drawings are listed as IT/Urban development projects in Kochi. Any idea what is going to be these? Or is it shelved?

could have been shelved , do not think some one is actively pursuing this , esle it could hv been already come into picture ...

architects could have made some tentative designs ,

[DileepKS]

The construction of Infopark Phase 2 has begun. The bhumi pooja was done yesterday. Multinational It companies has requested space.

[bhasidali]

Here is the latest design of Infopark phase 2

http://www.keralait.org/search_resul...location_id=15

[DileepKS]

Thanx Bhasid. Posting the image itself from the site.

[DileepKS]

Location according to Google Earth

[KMC]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

[Location according to Google Earth

Though it looks good , but whats the need for such tall buildings for IT

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by KMC

Though it looks good , but whats the need for such tall buildings for IT

It looks good to see Skyscrapers.... In a city were land is extremely scare, its better see develop quality office spaces vertically than horizontally.