Indian School of Business launches DLabs, to incubate 50 startups this year

HYDERABAD: The Indian School of Business ( ISB) launched the facilities for its virtual startup incubation and acceleration arm DLabs on Thursday. It plans to incubate approximately 50 companies during this year.

The virtual incubation program which was launched in 2015 has mentored 32 startups so far. The incubator, which has been set up in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, will be under the umbrella of ISB’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE).

The business school also plans to add multiple incubators and accelerators in the coming months, said ISB Dean Rajendra Srivastava. “We are in talks right now and will announce some partnerships soon,” he added.

ISB has had such partnerships in the past. Software giant SAP had joined hands with ISB in July 2016 to foster five social startups and the US Consulate General, Hyderabad, partnered with the business school to launch a startup accelerator program in November 2016.

DLabs offers theme-based acceleration and incubation programs in sectors such as healthcare, financial technology, deep technology, social entrepreneurship, education technology, smart city, climate change, and nonprofit and civil society organizations. It will also connect startups with mentors and possible investors who can help the company scale-up. ISB is also going to launch an advanced management program for incubator managers, said Srivastava.