Google Play, MeitY Startup Hub launch Appscale Academy

With a special focus on startups emerging from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India, Google Play and MeitY Startup Hub have partnered to launch the Appscale Academy in India. The intent is to help Indian startups drive global app innovations. The program will train early to mid-stage startups across India on building high-quality apps for the world.

Applications will be open till 15th December 2021, from which 100 startups will be selected based on defined qualitative and quantitative parameters by a panel of industry experts, members of MeitY Startup Hub, and Google Play.

Purnima Kochikar, Vice President, Google Play Partnerships, said, “At Google Play, we believe Indian startups and developers have the ability to set an example for the rest of the world to follow.”

The Appscale Academy will focus on helping local startups build and scale a range of world-class apps across domains, including gaming, healthcare, fintech, edtech, social impact, and more.

The program will also provide a special focus to the emerging startup ecosystem in Tier II and Tier III cities of India, aiming to provide them with the help needed to build scalable app solutions.

Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said, “It is heartening to see India’s startups increasingly drive local app innovations that have the potential to go global. We must fuel this growth story and encourage them to drive meaningful solutions for the world.”

This will be a 6-month program and 100 selected startups will get trained through a curriculum designed to help them drive high-quality apps, including sessions on data safety and security practices, monetization, UX design, and global market expansion.

Jeet Vijay, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub, said, “It is great to see startups and developers across India, especially those in Tier II and Tier III towns, gain momentum and provide solutions for complex problems unique to India.”

The startups will receive access to virtual instructor-led webinars, self-learning material, and mentorship sessions with leading local and global industry professionals. Many of them will also get an opportunity to give their pitches to leading venture capitalists too.