In September 2016, Google invited Indian applicants for the third edition of its Launchpad Accelerator Program. The aim was to support technology startups and help them increase their scale and find solutions to the challenges they are facing. The six-month acceleration program’s main focus is on startups in emerging markets in Brazil, Indonesia, India, and Mexico.
Google has now announced six Indian startups that have been shortlisted for the fourth class of the Launchpad Accelerator Program that will take off on July 17 in San Francisco. Including this batch, there are now twenty-six startups which have joined the program from India till date. The shortlisted startups in the current batch are:
- EdGE Networks: An Artificial Intelligence-powered HR solutions provider
- FastFilmz: A movie app focused on South Indian movies
- IndiaLends: A credit underwriting and analytics platform for unsecured consumer lending
- RailYatri: An Intelligent, big data platform that uses crowd-sourced content to help long distance travelers
- RecipeBook: An intelligent cooking app powered by deep learning computer vision
- SigTuple: Smart healthcare screening solutions powered by data-driven intelligence
According to Paul Ravindranath G, the Program Manager of Google India,
These startups were shortlisted from hundreds which applied this year, based on their unique value proposition and use of latest technologies like machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to build high-impact solutions
Google said in a statement that the present batch will gain a lot from the new curriculum which will assist them in gaining a deeper understanding of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). It will also teach them how to better utilize Google’s latest technologies to improve their apps.
During the course of the six-month program, the finalized startups will be intensively mentored by nearly 20 teams across Google, as well as mentors from the top tech companies in the Silicon Valley. This all expense paid mentorship boot camp comprises about two weeks of the program. The startups will also be given equity free support and credits for Google products.
Google has also shortlisted six African startups to partake in the first African version of the Launchpad Accelerator. These startups will undergo a similar program as their Indian counterparts.
