Doors open for Ed-tech Startups!

EDUGILD- India’s first Ed-Tech startup accelerator has become the face for overseas attention.

What’s so interesting about this accelerator?

EDUGILD conducts a 16-week mentorship and product realization program for Ed-Tech startups. This program is conducted in two separate batches every year.

• In its first batch itself, this accelerator had received eight applications from the overseas. Now, it has received 15 applications for its upcoming second batch, which will be commencing in August, 2016. Out of all those 15 applicants, only two are from Israel. Rest applications are all from the overseas, reports say.
• Additionally, EDUGILD has global accelerators from places like Israel, Spain, Japan, London, Columbia, New York and Singapore.

About EDUGILD

• Founded by Dr.Vishwanath Karad, EDUGILD is a Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT), Pune initiative, officially launched in June 2015.
• This initiative offers a 16-week intensive mentorship plus product realization program to any Ed-Tech start-up in the world.
• Their current cohorts include com, classboat.com,simulanis.com and gradopedia.com

Features of the 16-week program

• Under this EDUGILD programme, start-ups receive seed funding worth Rs.15 lakh in return for a minority stake (sub 10%).
• This programme provides mentorship and guidance regarding founding a start-up, pitching to venture capitalists (VCs), business management, customer acquisition as well as marketing. This would ultimately help in scaling up the business.
• In addition, the 16-week programme features several interactions with mentors, both online as well as offline.
• Workshops and intensive session of topics most relevant to founders are held twice a week. Each week will concentrate on one or more topics related to various aspects of creating successful businesses.

The story of EDUGILD till date

• In its initial year, the programme received applications from 300 Indian entrepreneurs. All those 300 were education-sector oriented. Out of them, only four companies got selected by EDUGLID for its accelerator programme. Besides, EDUGLID had partnered with popular ISDI in order to establish a design accelerator specifically meant for startups.

• Recently, EDUGILD signed a collaborative MoU with Cambridge University Press (CUP) India. This was done in order to jointly support development of a strong Ed-Tech startup ecosystem in the country. The MoU permits EDUGILD and Cambridge University Press to bring key stakeholders (i.e. startups, mentors, early stage funding, publishing houses, corporates, subject matter experts, institutional partners and investors) on a single platform.

Future Plans

It is reported that apart from strategy and finance, they are also keen on people and teams. Moreover, with MIT’s backing, personnel were easily available as employees/interns for the startups.

Conclusion

The EDUGILD Accelerator is now open to receive applications for the second batch, which will commence in the month of Aug 2016. On the other hand, EDUGLID has already commenced acceleration of its first batch of co-horts. So it’s time for all Ed-Tech startups across the globe to sit under the shade of EDUGLID.

Takeaways:-

• EDUGILD – India’s first Ed-Tech startup Accelerator, conducts 16-week mentorship and product realization program for Ed-Tech startups across the globe.
• In its first batch itself, this accelerator had received eight applications from the overseas.
• Now, it has received 15 applications for its upcoming second batch, which will be commencing in August, 2016.