Invest India-WhatsApp Partner to Empower Indian Entrepreneurs & Start-ups
by Shrutee K/DNS
New Delhi, 31 October 2018: In an effort
to fuel the growth of India’s entrepreneurial and small business community,
Invest India through its flagship initiative Startup India has partnered with
WhatsApp on a program that focuses on the proliferation of start-ups, promoting
economic growth and generating employment opportunities in India.
Dedicated to driving success and enhancing grassroots innovation,
WhatsApp will invest quarter of a million dollars as seed funding to the top 5
winners of the 'WhatsApp StartUp Challenge' and an additional $ 250,000 will be
directed to a select few from the entrepreneurial community to promote their
WhatsApp business number on Facebook and drive discovery of their businesses.
This way customers will be able to find the business and start talking to them
on that WhatsApp number.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Deepak Bagla, CEO & MD, Invest India said “India adds over 3 new start-ups a day, ranking it amongst the top start-up
nations in the world. A significant number of start-ups are spearheaded by
women. In fact, women-led start-ups are increasing by over 100% per annum. We
are committed towards developing the best ecosystem for the Indian start-up
community and have undertaken multiple initiatives to make this happen. The
effort is to ensure that grassroots ideas from all regions and towns
are brought to reality. Through this partnership with WhatsApp, we aim to
support the innovative start-ups in India and to create solutions not only for
India but the entire world.”
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Chris Daniels, Vice President, WhatsApp said “WhatsApp cares deeply about helping
businesses connect with customers and grow. We're excited to work closely with
Startup India by supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups to become engines of economic
growth.”
Invest India
is also working with WhatsApp to drive awareness about its business tools in
around 15 states impacting over 60,000 businesses in the coming months through
tools such as Startup India 'Yatra' program and other in-person training
events.
About Invest India
Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and
Facilitation Agency of India and act as the first point of reference for
investors in India. As the national investment promotion and facilitation
agency, Invest India focuses on sector-specific investor targeting and
development of new partnerships to enable sustainable investments in India. In
addition to a core team that focuses on sustainable investments. Invest India
actively works with several Indian states to bring in global best practices in
investment targeting, promotion and facilitation.
Invest India is set up under the Department
of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Government of India. Recently, Invest India received the UNCTAD award for
excellence in promoting sustainable development and is the most awarded
Investment Promotion Agency in the world.
About Startup India
Launched on 16th January 2016 by Shri Narendra Modi,
Hon. Prime Minister of India, Startup India, set-up under Invest India, is a
flagship initiative of the Government of India and is intended to build a
strong eco-system for nurturing innovation & start-ups in the country that
will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment
opportunities.
Through the course of the last 2 years at the Startup
India programme, there are over 13,000 start-ups registered with Startup India
program that spread across 448 districts covering all 29 States and 6 Union
Territories.
Amazing post. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIndian Entrepreneurs