NASSCOM shortlists 332 tech firms for start-up programme

MUMBAI: IT-ITeS industry body NASSCOM has shortlisted 332 start-ups out of 4,000 applications that it received under a programme to support budding technology companies.

These companies were invited at Pitch sessions conducted at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata where about 300 firms made over 1,200 pitches to over 50 angel investors, accelerators, angel investor groups, venture capitalists and mentors, NASSCOM said in a release.

"We are overwhelmed with the impact that 10,000 start-ups programme has been able to create so far and look forward to create many more opportunities," NASSCOM President Som Mittal said.

The programme will aim to create more opportunities for tech start-ups in the areas of fund-raising, acceleration, enterprise connects, industry access and upscaling their capabilities in different facets of starting and scaling a business, he added.

"With an aspiration to create a vibrant ecosystem for the tech start-ups in the country, NASSCOM had launched the 10,000 start-ups programme six months back," Mittal said.

Under the programme, NASSCOM conducted over 100 events comprising workshops, hackathons, pitches, fireside chats and reached out to more then 15 cities and touched base with over 7500 entrepreneurs/aspirants, he said.

NASSCOM had commenced the 10,000 Start-ups programme with the support of Google, Kotak, Microsoft and Verisign. Zinnov is the consulting partner of the programme.