IIMA Ventures partners with Google for Startups, launches first cohort

IIMA Ventures has teamed up with Google for Startups to accelerate the growth of AI startups in India, launching the first cohort of the AI Academy India 2024.

The programme aims to support early-stage startups in leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address global challenges across key sectors such as education, climate, agriculture, healthcare, financial inclusion, and infrastructure.

The initiative, which has received support from MeitY Startup Hub, selected 22 startups for the first cohort. These startups will receive expert mentorship, practical training, access up to $350,000 cloud credits, access to Google’s AI technologies, and networking opportunities.

“We are proud to partner with Google for Startups to host the AI Academy India Bootcamp in Ahmedabad. This initiative perfectly aligns with our regional incubation mission to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. The bootcamp has provided 22 promising startups from Gujarat with invaluable resources, including access to cutting-edge AI technologies and expert mentorship. We look forward to hosting more such programs to strengthen the startup ecosystem in Gujarat,” said Vipul Patel, Partner, Seed Investing, IIMA Ventures.

The selected startups address a variety of challenges in various sectors. In education, it includes AI-powered ERP, LMS, and CRM systems; in climate change, it includes a social marketplace for electric vehicles; in fintech, it includes AI tools to simplify loan and insurance documents; and in healthcare, it includes AI-driven collaborative platforms to streamline business processes.

Post the launch in Gujarat, AI Academy India 2024 is set to expand and be held in 6 cities across India in partnership with Kerala Startup Mission, T-Hub & MATH, IHFC-IIT Delhi, NSRCEL IIM Bangalore, SINE IIT Bombay, IIT Madras Incubation Cell along with Nasscom AI and People+ai.