In a groundbreaking partnership, Google has joined forces with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub to unveil the 2023 Class of Appscale Academy. This program, designed to foster the growth of early to mid-stage startups, offers invaluable guidance on scaling their applications over a six-month duration, completely free of charge.
Out of 950 applications, a select group of 100 startups were handpicked for the program. The selection process considered innovation, product quality, scalability, and talent diversity.
Diversity is a hallmark of this year’s Appscale Academy cohort, with startups spanning across domains such as education, health, social, gaming and agriculture. Some standout innovations from this year’s class include Enguru, a live learning platform; BabyG, a parenting and baby development app; Dhenoo, a knowledge-sharing platform for dairy farmers; and EyeCan, which provides virtual assistance to the visually impaired. Other notable participants are Glii, a Queer dating app; Neend, a mindfulness app to improve sleep quality; and ProjectHero, a networking platform for construction workers, among others.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this year’s cohort is the significant representation from tier 2 and tier 3 cities in India, accounting for approximately 50% of the startups. This demonstrates a refreshing departure from the traditional startup hubs, emphasizing the growing entrepreneurial spirit across the country. Moreover, a remarkable 37% of the selected startups boast a woman founder at the helm, underscoring the program’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.
The Appscale Academy was launched in 2022 and it aims to help startups enhance their app’s performance and achieve sustainable growth. The program encompasses a three-month curriculum comprising virtual and in-person coaching, courses, and training workshops for the initial 100 startups. Following this phase, a selection committee will shortlist a subset of startups based on undisclosed criteria.
