Startup communities launched in two villages in Erode district

The District Collector of Erode, S. Kandasamy, on Tuesday launched village startup communities at Hasanur in Thalavadi Hills, and Karattadipalayam in Gobichettipalayam taluk.

The initiative was launched under the ‘Gramam Thorum Puthozhil’ scheme (Establishing Start-ups in Every Village) of the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (StartupTN), with the two villages being selected for implementation in the district.

Inaugurating the Hasanur Startup Community and the Karattadipalayam Startup Community, the Collector said the scheme was aimed at encouraging rural entrepreneurship and promoting sustainable economic development in villages. He noted that the programme seeks to link startups from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with major corporate players such as Google, Meta, Zoho and Decathlon, thereby creating wider market access and mentorship opportunities.

Under the scheme, 100 entrepreneurs across the State will be identified and provided with a grant of ₹1 lakh each. In Erode district, beneficiaries will be selected from Hasanur and Karattadipalayam based on their skills and business potential, he said.

The Collector further announced that a related conference will be held on January 10 at Sankari in Salem district. He also launched the website for registration to participate in “The Next – Startup Summit 2026”, which can be accessed at www.thenext.aakam360.com. For further information, the public may contact 95856 41186.

Officials from StartupTN, including Gurushankar and Gopinath, READ NGO Director R. Karuppasamy, and Professor Sairam of Gobi Arts and Science College were present at the event.