Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) is the strategic think-tank advisory body of the Government of Kerala, formulating plans refiecting the latest in technology, product and process innovations for the development of the State. It seeks to address the challenges of providing holistic health care, employment, social security, infrastructure, food and nutrition security with a pro-poor bias, gender justice and inclusion of outliers, within severe fiscal constraints.

Originally constituted as a department guided by a six-member advisory council with Dr. K. M. Abraham, former Chief Secretary to Government of Kerala as the Chairperson. The Council consisted of six eminent persons of repute in Science,Innovation and Technology in order to equip K-DISC to carry out the newly assigned activities of the Knowledge Mission.

Given the radically enhanced role that K-DISC is envisaged to take up in the new Government’s thrust to make Kerala an innovation hub, the structure of K-DISC has been totally revamped.

K-DISC was registered as a society on May 4, 2021, with the Chief Minister as the Chairperson, Finance Minister as Vice Chairperson and Ministers for Industries,Higher Education, Labour and Skills and Agriculture as members. The Governing body consists of Vice Chancellors of the major Universities in the state and experts from various walks of life.

K-DISC advises the Government of Kerala on strategic directions in various spheres. Such strategic papers shall refiect the new directions in technology adaptation, innovation and progress. In addition, it is entrusted with the task of creating a healthy and conducive environment for fostering innovations in the State. K-DISC was formed as a society by the Government of Kerala and registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act,1955 for achieving any one or more of the following objectives:

1. Promotion of innovation in the State to meet pressing challenges in development through judicious application of Science and Technology, for increased productivity, competitiveness and employment, and to foster equitable and inclusive development.
2. Establishment of a supportive ecosystem for innovation across the State that facilitates experimentation, risk-taking and creativity.
3. Strengthening of skills, behaviours and attitudes of the knowledge economy talent pool, particularly of the youth, to strengthen innovation and eliminate barriers to physical, human and knowledge capital.
4. Enhancing innovation spirit and talent, specifically young talent, by supporting greater innovation at institutional level including teaching institutions, Medium Small and Micro Industries, Research and Development institutions, Government Departments,Public and Private sector bodies, Local Government and Corporates.
5. Knowledge creation and management as well as addressing information asymmetries related to innovation.
6. Developing strategies for strengthening capabilities in proactively developing Industrial Revolution 4.0 Technologies in the State jointly with Universities, Research Centres and Academic Institutions and promoting the development of start-ups jointly with the Kerala Start-up Mission and innovation collectives in the State.
7. Providing support to the Government in establishing Centres of Excellences in key areas of the Knowledge Economy and developing systems for Digital Transformation in various sectors jointly with Universities and other Institutions in the State.
8. Developing systems for translational Engineering in the State jointly with Universities for translating research in Research and Development Centres into Start-ups and Innovation Collectives.
9. Systematic promotion of grass root level and rural innovations and linking them to the Innovation Ecosystem.
10. Addressing infrastructure deficit and making rapid strides in cutting-edge areas of knowledge revolution and tourism without infringing upon its fragile environment and impacting adversely upon its biodiversity.