MeitY Startup Hub, Google to help homegrown startups scale app businesses

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has announced a collaboration with Google to guidance to budding startups in India.

Both the government body and the search engine giant’s Appscale Academy will offer hand-holding to scale up their business. They will be doing road trip campaigns to reach out to startups, particularly in tier-II and tier-III cities such as Surat, Indore, Coimbatore, Gangtok, and Jaipur.

It is a six-month programme that includes training app developers to build refined user-interface, develop ethical practices to protect user data, bring efficiency in their business model and offer tips on monetisation strategies.

“India is today one of the largest and fastest-growing startup ecosystems in the world. It’s heartening to see the meaningful impact app developers are driving in India and across the world, and it’s critical that we consistently support these startups to turn their creative ideas into scalable businesses. I’m delighted with the results of the first edition of Appscale Academy and look forward to seeing MeitY Startup Hub and Google come together again to fuel the growth of 100 new startups,” said Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

As mentioned above, selected 100 startups will get access to virtual instructor-led webinars, self-learning materials, and mentorship sessions. Also, Google will offer a platform for app developers to pitch their business idea to top venture capitalists, so they can scale up their companies.

“The lives of many in India are getting transformed by technology, and local app developers and startup founders are the driving force behind this tech-led transformation. India is on its way to becoming a global hub for technology. At Google, we see it as a privilege to partner with this ecosystem enabling their growth story. We are excited to continue our deep partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub to help many talented innovators turn their creative ideas into successful app businesses through Appscale Academy,” said Aditya Swamy, Director, Play Partnerships, Google Play. Deccan Herald