Nine Indian Internet & Mobile Start-ups Selected For iAccelarator Programme

Nine Indian startups and two from Germany in the Internet and mobile domain have been selected for the latest iAccelarator programme, a three-month start-up incubation residential programme that provides technology entrepreneurs with access to mentoring infrastructure and investment support.

Launched in 2009, iAccelarator is a flagship program of the Center for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIM Ahmedabad.

The Indian startups participating in the programme include Alma Connect, Anaya, Mobitics, Croak.it, Ideophone, Zuvvu, Votodo, Mango reader and Innovese. The ones from Germany are Colored.by and MakeHappy.in.

These startups are engaged in varied domains in which some are new and others which appear to me-too products/services in the Internet business domain.

One firm connects alumni over the Internet (Amla Connect), another can be used to review media assets (Anaya) and a separate firm engages TV viewers to discuss programmes and participate in content-based games (Mobiotics).

Another firm provides a social 'To-do' list (Votodo), another is about bringing 'book to life' by engaging in fun activities (Mango Reader) and another one is a web-advertising platform for revenue opportunity for web developers (Innovese).

One may also find one useful for travel-related services(Ideophone), or one for social media influence(Zuvvu).

The programme provides the start ups with a working space, IT infrastructure, seed capital and, most importantly, a mentoring team to help them showcase their final prototype or product to angel or informal investors on the 'Demo Day', the final day of the programme where the iAccelerator startups present their business plans to angel and VC investors, entrepreneurs community, media and sponsors.

This year, Tata Communications has come to support the programme where senior executives of the firm will mentor start-ups, offering tips and guiding the entrepreneurs on to how to translate ideas into successful business ventures. Moreover, the participants also have access to Tata's cloud, connectivity and collaboration tools, and may get sponsorships, too.

Since its inception in 2009, this programme has helped 17 successful start-ups launch themselves in the Internet and the mobile domain.