Startups get money in WhatsApp contest

Facebook-owned WhatsApp and Invest India have picked 5 Indian startups who would receive nearly INR 35 lakh (USD50,000) each to further develop country-first products to solve real-life problems being faced by millions in the country.

The start-ups are: digital healthcare platform MedCords; virtual reality content platform Melzo; WhatsApp-based conversational AI platform Javis; agri-tech platform Gramophone; and MinionLabs that provides real-time device level electricity consumption insights to businesses.

“With more and more India-centric startups coming to the fore, we are looking forward to act more than just financing them. We would do partnership with them to bring right services to right people,” Abhijit Bose, Head of WhatsApp India, told IANS.

“The first wave of technology largely brought concepts from other countries to India which were then localised according to the needs. We are now looking into innovative idea which are India-first, solving unique problems being faced by the country,” he added.

Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India and acts as the first point of reference for investors in the country.

From over 1,700 entries from 25 states, 10 were shortlisted to present their pitch to venture capitalists and entrepreneurs including Shailesh Lakhani from Sequoia Capital, Vani Kola from Kalaari Capital, Deep Kalra from MakeMyTrip, Harsha Kumar from Lightspeed Ventures and Bose from WhatsApp.

The winners were part of the ‘Startup India-WhatsApp Grand Challenge’ -launched earlier this year to inspire entrepreneurs to develop solutions that have socio-economic impact on the Indian economy.