AP hopeful of a big push for IT sector next year

A team from ITAAP recently met the Union Ministers concerned and sought efforts to expedite creation of state-of-the-art STPI incubation center at Vizag, developing emerging tech skilling ecosystem, a CDAC centre, a centre of NIELIT, National Forensic Sciences University and a national level Centre of Excellence on Cyber Security in Vizag, known as IT capital of AP

Visakhapatnam: At a time when Andhra Pradesh fared badly in exports of IT and IT Enabled Services (ITES) during last financial year, IT Association of AP (ITAAP), an umbrella organisation of IT companies in the State, hopes that the New Year will usher in good luck for them in giving a boost to their business by strengthening the existing ecosystem.

The revelation by Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha recently that AP had clocked an export turnover of meager Rs 1,290 crore from IT and BPM companies as against the country's total turnover of Rs 11.59 lakh crore. During 2021-22, highest software exports was registered from Karnataka with a turnover of Rs 96 lakh crore, followed by Maharashtra Rs 2.37 lakh crore and Telangana Rs 1.81 lakh crore.

ITAAP with the support from AP Electronics and IT Agency (APEITA) and AP Innovation Society (APIS) and IT, Electronics and Communication Department of AP, is organising an IT summit named InfinITy Vizag 2023 with Software Technology Parks of India as the co-host here on January 20 and 21. The event will focus on promoting and strengthening the IT ecosystem of AP. Moreover, various plus points of AP State and particularly the city of Vizag as an ideal location for investment and development of the IT sector will be showcased, ITAAP president Sreedhar Kosaraju told Bizz Buzz.

The programme will be attended by Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT and Skill Development Rajiv Chandrasekhar and AP Minister for IT and Industries Gudivada Amarnath, Director General for STPI Arvind Kumar. ITE&C Advisors to AP Government Srinath Devireddy, Vidyasagar Reddy, Advisor to Govt on NRT Affairs Medapati S Venkat and Principal Secretary for ITE&C Saurabh Gaur have also confirmed their participation.

During a recent visit to Delhi, a team from ITAAP met the Union Ministers concerned and sought efforts to expedite creation of state-of-the-art STPI incubation center at Vizag, developing emerging tech skilling ecosystem, a CDAC centre, a centre of NIELIT, National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and a national level Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Cyber Security in Vizag, known as IT capital of AP.

The first day of InfinITy Vizag 2023 will focus on the IT sector and startups while the second day will deliberate on the ITeS/BPM sector. The event will bring multiple renowned speakers to the city from various leading MNCs and Indian companies in IT, ITES, unicorns, startups and allied industries.

Sreedhar said various panels will harp on AI in automation, cyber security and Industry 4.0 in core software industry. In the BPM sector, the panelists will deliberate on the digitization imperative and roadmap of analytics and AI in the industry.

He said the main objective of the summit is to promote IT industry, discuss the strategy for the growth of the IT industry and startup ecosystem, prepare a roadmap for creating a high-end skilling ecosystem in AP/Vizag, attract talent and investments, network with various CXOs/senior technocrats and MNCs and hold B2B networking opportunities for the companies based in the State.

STPI, which is mandated by the Government of India to promote exports in IT and ITESs, will present annual awards to the IT/ITeS industry in various categories. STPI, APIS and AP startups jointly will present awards to successful new generation entrepreneurs. The ecosystem partners to the event are Nasscom, TiE AP chapter, AP Chambers and startup partners are AP Startups and A-Hub.