Ernakulam Public Library needs no introduction. Having served Kochiites since 1869, EPL is an asset which Kochi always had. They have branches across the city, and hence ensured that we get the best books at reasonable rents. Their extensions at High Court and Chakkaraparambu have been a great hit and Kochiites are looking out for more from them.

So here is the good news! They are starting their new extension at Infopark, Kakkanad. This time, EPL is all set to make the IT section of our city read and enlighten them. Reading a book is undoubtedly a stress-buster. So if too much of programming, uploads and downloads have eaten your brains, try soothing it by reading a novel! You cannot get hold of a better collection of books, other than from our very own Ernakulam Public Library. EPL is on the look-out to start a new extension at Kadavanthra as well.

The extensions at Chakkaraparambu and High Court function two days every month. The response that the organizers have been receiving is truly encouraging, facilitating them to open up EPL in other parts of the city. So Kochi book-lovers, keep watching out for their extensions. Maybe a new one would be located right next to your home!

Are you from Kochi? Have you felt the importance of being competitive in this fast-paced world? Well, then here is news. Kochi is ranked 14^th as the most competitive cities across the country. So that means our city owns a space in the top 50 competitive cities. This survey was conducted by the Institute for Competitiveness India, the Indian wing of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School.

With IT prosperity and businesses reigning our city, Kochi has much to boast about. We need to fit into the struggle. That does not require a special say does it? Counterparts Trivandrum and Calicut are rated 17 and 21 respectively. According to the surveyors, this helps in finding the solutions for socio-economic problems that prevail in our society.

This ranking has been based on many factors. The key variables that have been used for the survey includes conditions which are financial, physical, administrative along with the communication factors as well.

Delhi is rated the most competitive city, followed by Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai and it goes on. Now since you know that there are so much of competitions happening around you, better tighten your shoe-laces and get ready for the real race in the corporate jungle.

If you love naming, then here is a golden chance to try your luck and win exciting prizes too. Infopark is inviting names suitable for its second phase expansion. Their second phase is coming up at Kunnathukkadu and Puthencruz.  You can come up with lovely names which will suit the project, and who knows, your name would be the selected one.

The winner will get an attractive cash prize and a memento too. Infopark has never held a project which the general public can also take part in, and this is their first initiative. The names should be unique and something which helps in being facilitated as a marketing tool as well.

So if you have any names, mail it to info@infoparkkochi.com. Who knows, you might be the lucky one. Do not miss this!

The Emirate of Sharjah has announced plans to set up a Science and Technology Innovation Centre at Kochi. The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Infopark , Kochi have already  signed a Memorandum of Understanding .

Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Chairman, SCCI and Siddhartha Bhattacharya, CEO, Infopark, signed the MoU at the ‘India & Sharjah – Partners in Progress’ event held at the premises of the Chamber premises in Sharjah on Friday.

The Sharjah Science and Technology Innovation Centre will be set up in the Infopark campus at Kochi.

The Centre is envisaged as a platform to provide Sharjah-based business houses access to talent and knowledge-based resources in Kerala.

The main objective is to help small and medium enterprises in Sharjah conduct research and development for the development of innovative products and services in a cost effective manner. India has been a major trading partner of the UAE and is an ideal choice for a venture of this sort. The State of Kerala boasts of some of the leading research institutes of India working in diverse fields like space technology, biotechnology and engineering sciences. The new initiative will facilitate the joint production of value-added solutions.  The innovation centre would facilitate direct collaboration in research activities between businesses in Sharjah and universities in Kerala. The MoU also involves a partnership mechanism to commercialise the benefits of the research.