Microsoft launches mentorship programme for nascent Ker firms

In an initiative that would considerably boostKeralas startup ecosystem, technology and software giantMicrosofton Fridaylauncheda business mentorship programmefornascent firms across the statethat wouldturn their innovations into products andcatalyzetheir scalability in the long run.

Microsoftsambitious Highway to a Hundred Unicorns project inIndiaentered Kerala by rolling out day-longguidance and networking sessions to the states promising startups.

Twelve select firmsfrom the stateare vying for a national-levelround that ensures advanced guidance on developing products, strategies and funds for three finalist startups towards becomingUnicorncompaniesthat arevaluedoverUSD one billion.

India currently has 26 unicornsand set an ambitious target to have 100 such entities.

"Its high time India had its startup ecosystems in cities beyond the metros, and thats why Microsoft is holding the event at Kochi after rounds in Gujarat and Rajasthan,speakers said at the inaugural session.

The programme is held in association with Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) at its premises in Kalamassery,near here.

Keralas status as a state with a rich variety of startups has led Microsoft to choose 12 among them for long-term mentorship instead of ten that has been the case earlier with Gujarat and Rajasthan, according to Lathika S Pai of the MNC.

Thats why we have titled the Kerala legEmerge Xinstead of Emerge 10,she pointed out.

Lathika,Country Head, Microsoft for Startups (MENA and SAARC), saidMicrosoft has brought inKeralaits top experts who are vastly experienced in giving startups tips on turning innovations into products and subsequently scale their operations both inside and outside the country.

Kerala IT SecretaryM Sivasankarsaid Microsofts Highway to a Hundred Unicorns project has come to the state at the right time.

We areata stage now where there is the structure, but without a roof. This programme will help Keralas startups gain an ecosystem that gets built sheet by sheet, he said.

Adozen experts from Microsoft mentoredclose to 200 startups atFridaysevent at KSUMs Integrated Startup Complex, while also introducing themtosenior government officials and founders of successful unicorns.

TheHighway to a Hundred Unicorns project under the Microsoft for Startups initiativein Indiaenables startups to reach customers across the globe by leveraging the cloud marketplace, enterprise sales team and partner ecosystem.

With its strong focus onadvanced technology platform, growing partner ecosystem and M12 venture fund, the MNC strives to help startups embrace the next phase of growth and evolve from being market-ready to enterprise-ready.