PANAJI
The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has partnered with Ground Floor Labs and NomadGao to push Artificial Intelligence (AI) among small businesses through a free three-week AI Residency programme in Mandrem from October 13 to 29.
The initiative is being organised in partnership with the Startup and IT Promotion Cell (SITPC) of the Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications.
The programme aims to help local businesses understand and use AI to solve practical challenges in day-to-day operations.
Organisers said the residency will bring together 10 to 15 AI builders and researchers who will work directly with 50 to 100 local business owners with focus on addressing operations, marketing, analytics, customer communication, social media management and other business functions.
Unlike conventional workshops that largely focus on theory, the residency will emphasise hands-on learning and the creation of customised AI solutions for participating businesses, who will not require any prior knowledge of AI to participate.
The programme includes six two-hour practical sessions held every Tuesday and Thursday beginning October 13. Participants will also have access to open build hours and dedicated support from AI experts throughout the three-week residency.
Businesses taking part will retain ownership of the solutions developed for them and will receive written guides to support long-term use.
The programme will be conducted free of cost in English, Konkani, Hindi and Marathi.
GCCI Deputy Director Ambika Dhakhenkar said AI offers significant opportunities to improve productivity, customer engagement and competitiveness. However, many small businesses struggle to understand how the technology can be applied to their specific needs.
She said the initiative seeks to bridge that gap by bringing AI practitioners and entrepreneurs together to develop practical solutions to real-world business problems.
Dhakhenkar stressed that AI adoption should extend beyond large corporations and technology firms to include MSMEs, family-run enterprises and traditional businesses across Goa.
Ground Floor Labs previously conducted a pilot programme in Healdsburg, California, in June 2026. NomadGao, is a Goa-based co-living and coworking community, and partners this initiative by connecting it with a wider network of technology professionals and digital nomads.
