US-based Malayali entrepreneur aims to turn Manjeri into hub for tech startups

Kochi: US-based Malayali entrepreneur Sabir Nelly aims to turn Manjeri in Malappuram into a hub for technology startups.

Sabir, the founder and CEO of US-based neo-banking firm 'ZilBank', plans to set up an incubation-accelerator centre for startup ventures in Manjeri. He plans to set up an initial capital funding of Rs 10 crore for ten startups within a year.

Furthermore, mentoring services and finishing school for new entrepreneurs will also be launched as part of the project. He also plans a hackathon to identify the best startups.

He described Kerala as one of the best places in the world and termed the southern state as the Switzerland of India. He said that Kerala has a great opportunity to advance in the field of startups with its nature and good living conditions coupled with the best tech professionals.

The ZilBank's R&D centre now functions in Manjeri and employs around 100 people. He added that the firm aims to increase its employees to 1,000-1,500. He added that there are plans to construct 'Zil Park', an IT campus.

Sabir Nellie, the son of Manjeri natives Muhammad and Nafeesa Kattekkadan, left Kerala for the USA for pilot training 23 years ago. Soon after, in 2005, he entered the entrepreneurial path by opening his own petrol pumps in Texas. Soon after, a chain of petrol pumps named 'Tyler Petroleum' was listed among the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America. 

In 2019, he founded ZillBank after realising that the future rests in technology. The new venture's goal was to provide financial services using emerging technologies. ZillBank plans to expand its services to Gulf countries as well.