The Statup India program specifically envisages technology business incubators and research parks. To boost such programs, Microsoft is working in conjugation with TCS to create a co-innovation platform which will help startups to develop products the two companies’ customers are seeking.
“Microsoft Accelerator and TCS co-innovation network will create a platform to spur the Indian start-up system through an open framework,” the IT majors said at ‘Think Next Summer 2016′, a Microsoft Accelerator flagship forum here for thought leaders intended to drive transformation through innovation.
“The progress India has made in IT and entrepreneurship over the past decades has radically changed the landscape, offering unmatched opportunities,” said Ravi Narayan, global director, Microsoft Accelerator as reported by TOI.
The joint initiative will also connect start-ups with corporates, which will get access to innovative solutions for their business needs while providing greater market access to start-ups. The companies will have a huge customer base and based on the feedback from them, the two enterprises will work with startups to bring innovative solutions to the market.
The 12 graduating startups are Altizon, Tarnea, Aureus Analytics, Baby Chakra, Reverie, Strides, Locus, Admission Table, Distiman, Calm.io, Yellow Messenger and Report Bee.
They made presentations on their ventures to about 550 delegates comprising corporates, investors, thought leaders, and Microsoft management who partnered to push the collaborative innovation.
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“The partnership highlights our efforts to engage with start-ups and underlines our commitment to provide innovative solutions to our diverse customer base. As we enter a new phase of innovation and computing, companies must co-innovate and create strategic partnerships to solve challenging problems for customers,” said TCS global head for hi-tech industry solutions Nagaraj Ijari at the day-long event.
Microsoft Accelerator and TCS will provide with mentorship to the startups and other assistance. Most startups face challenges in customer access and relationship management, the companies said
Altizon announced the launch of iProd, a revolutionary IoT (Internet of Things)-based based product to empower manufacturers to optimize productivity and overall equipment effectiveness along with Distiman, a mobile app that maximizes profits for mom and pop retailers through on-demand stocking.
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“The interesting thing about India becoming a start-up nation is that this transformation happened not long ago, but around us. As a citizen of the start-up ecosystem in the country, we decided to take an overview of the developments,” Naraynan added.
Infosys’ co-founder and former Unique Identification Development Authority of India (UIDAI) chairman Nandan Nilekani spoke on ‘An alternate view of the future: India in the age of technological disruption’ and Microsoft India chairman Bhaskar Pramanik on ‘The role of start-ups in India’s digital transformation journey’.