Microsoft, which already nurtures Indian startups, today launched its 'Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub' in India to support chosen founders of startups by providing them with access to over $300,000 in benefits including technology and tools from the tech giant and partners.
Startups will be given mentorship and skilling opportunities with industry experts and ‘Microsoft Learn’ initiative that gives startup-centric training. The Hub is available to all startups in India, including those without third-party validation or funding, Microsoft said.
The Hub, designed for early-stage startups, will also connect them with mentors who will provide them with industry, business, and technical support to guide them through their next business milestones.
Microsoft is also partnering with companies like OpenAI, a global leader in AI research and deployment, that develops AI systems such as GPT-3 and Codex to provide startups with exclusive benefits and discounts.
Shot in the arm for Indian startups
"Our aim is to provide startups access to the resources that will power their innovation, connect them with customers, and an ecosystem of developers, partners and investors to help them scale in India and beyond," said Sangeeta Bavi, Director – Startup Ecosystem, Microsoft India. Microsoft said the Hub was created following extensive research and conversations with hundreds of founders.
India is the 3rd largest ecosystem for startups after the US and China, with over 62,200 recognised startups across 636 districts of the country.
India is home to 85 unicorns with a total valuation of $287.89 billion. Further, the Indian Startup ecosystem has seen exponential growth in past few years (2015-2021): It has witnessed a 9-times increase in the number of investors, a 7-time surge in the total funding of startups and 7-fold increase in the number of incubators.
Last year, Microsoft launched a program for nurturing and scaling startups that are leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) called Microsoft AI Innovate.
