Nasscom plays cupid for entrepreneurs this Valentine's day

'Be My ValenTech' initiative to help entrepreneurs meet their 'startup soulmate'

The rising startup culture in the Indian technology sector has certainly made the otherwise dull lives of techies rather interesting. From wearing formals and spending nine hours a day inside an office, young engineers in the country today are going to office in shorts and working out of cafes in many cases.

Taking the fun forward, industry body Nasscom has decided to play cupid this Valentine’s Day through its 10-day initiative called ‘Be My ValenTech’. The initiative is aimed at helping founders of technology startups find a like-minded co-founder, or as they call it "a startup soulmate".

Just like the way speed dating websites work, Nasscom’s 10,000 Startups team uploaded a form a few weeks ago, which asked some quick questions about the entrepreneur and what he/she is looking for in a co-founder.

“Every ying needs a yang, like every founder needs a co-founder. And we at 10,000 Startups get this! So with the support of Entrepreneur Cafe, this Valentine's, we've set out on a mission to help you find your Startup Soulmate just in 10 Days!,” the form read. “Fill in the form below and we'll get busy playing cupid by making you meet your match over a cup of coffee...because as the saying goes, amazing things can happen over a cuppa joe.”

The initiative has received around 200 applications and after an initial match-making, Nasscom will hold ‘first dates’ or meet ups for founders and co-founders at coffee shops across 12 cities.

Several industry experts believe that finding a like-minded business partner is one of the hardest obstacles for an entrepreneur. Some industry veterans and incubators have been working to help young entrepreneurs meet like-minded teams in an unorganized fashion. Nasscom’s initiative is being seen as a great opportunity by entrepreneurs who are hoping to find the right connections.