YES BANK Launches Frictionless Finance Accelerator to Empower Fintech Startups

YES BANK, in collaboration with the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) and S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), has announced the launch of the Frictionless Finance Accelerator Programme. This initiative, unveiled on National Startup Day, aims to support fintech startups in addressing critical challenges, scaling their innovations, and driving financial inclusion.

India’s startup ecosystem is thriving, with over 1.5 lakh Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) registered startups and more than 100 unicorns. Fintech, a key pillar of this growth, is redefining access to financial services and enabling small businesses to thrive. With this accelerator, YES BANK reinforces its role as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration in this dynamic sector.

Key Features of the Frictionless Finance Accelerator, include :

1. Support System for Startups: Startups gain access to expertise from RBIH, academic resources from SPJIMR, and YES BANK’s industry knowledge.
2. Focus on Emerging Technologies: The programme supports solutions in digital lending, AI-powered risk management, blockchain-based payments, and financial inclusion.
3. Regulatory and Business Guidance: Platforms like YES Connect provide startups with tools to navigate regulatory frameworks, optimise business models, and leverage digital infrastructure.
4. Collaborative Ecosystem: The programme builds partnerships between fintechs, industry leaders, and regulators to foster growth and innovation.

Mr. Prashant Kumar, Managing Director & CEO, YES BANK, said,

India has emerged as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, and fintech startups are at the forefront of this transformation. The world is changing fast, and the future is one of interconnectedness, powered by technologies that once seemed impossible. At YES BANK, we are committed to supporting this growth through initiatives like the Frictionless Finance Accelerator, which helps startups address real-world challenges and build scalable solutions.

YES BANK’s Role in Driving Innovation

YES BANK has consistently supported startups, especially in fintech, through initiatives like YES HeadStartup and digital platforms such as IRIS Biz, YES Connect, and SmartFin. These solutions simplify operations, enabling startups to focus on innovation.

The Bank’s partnerships, such as the recent collaboration with Vegapay to launch Credit Line on UPI, highlight its emphasis on co-creating financial solutions tailored to startups’ needs. Similarly, its association with SPJIMR’s Wise Tech School of Innovation provides startups with mentorship, funding access, and resources to scale efficiently.

“Our focus is on creating a robust ecosystem where startups can thrive. We don’t just offer products or platforms; we offer partnerships that drive real impact,” Mr. Kumar added.

Dr. Varun Nagaraj, Dean, S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, emphasised the value of collaboration for responsible innovation, stating,

We appreciate the support provided by RBIH and YES BANK to launch the first Frictionless Finance Accelerator. At SPJIMR, through our WISE Tech initiative, we champion responsible innovation that blends cutting-edge technology with inclusivity and ethics. This partnership will enable start-ups to address challenges, redefine financial accessibility, and contribute to India's growth. Together, we are shaping a seamless and secure financial culture.

Mr. Rajesh Bansal, CEO, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub, shared his vision and stated,

Our mission of enabling 'Frictionless Finance for a Billion Indians' is deeply rooted in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. This accelerator programme is a testament to our commitment to empowering entrepreneurs by providing access to world-class mentorship, facilitating connections with banks, and enabling them to create pathways for transformative growth that will shape the future of India’s financial ecosystem.

The Programme’s launch coincides with a time of tremendous opportunity and transformation. With global venture capital investments in 2024 soaring to $314 billion and the global digital economy expected to exceed $20 trillion by 2030, fintech start-ups are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of finance. The Frictionless Finance Accelerator is a movement that symbolises the transformative power of partnerships, bold vision, and relentless action.

New Global Food and Beverages Accelerator Launched for Food Brands/Startups in India

Sharda Launchpad Federation by Sharda University Partners with FigFax to Launch Sharda Global Food and Beverages Accelerator

• The accelerator program is set to mentor and fast-track over 50 promising food brands in India
• Prototype/MVP, Early Traction and Scale-up All startups can participate

Sharda Launchpad Federation, a business incubator and accelerator by a renowned educational institution Sharda University embarks on its commitment to fostering innovation and growth, is proud to announced a strategic partnership with FigFax (SnackFax) to launch Sharda Global Food and Beverages Accelerator. The program is set to mentor and fast-track over 50 promising food brands under India’s 1st F&B Accelerator in the next one year.

Inviting entrepreneurs and startups in the food sector to seize this opportunity, Sharda Launchpad commenced registrations on 23rdSeptember. This program is open to a wide spectrum of businesses, including those in food processing, dairy and mechanization, quick-service restaurants (QSR), dining establishments, poultry, logistics, warehousing, infrastructure and mechanization, packaging, beverages, and more. The selection process is set to be highly competitive, with only 20 startups advancing to the next round in the 1st Cohort.

In a dynamic and ever-evolving Indian food and beverage sector, startups and emerging brands often face hurdles when accessing the resources and mentorship needed to scale effectively. Recognizing this gap, Sharda University and FigFax have joined forces to revolutionize the food industry in North India. As a promoter of Sharda Launchpad, the university is committed to nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation in the food industry. The collaboration will provide financial support, access to seasoned mentors, and personalized acceleration programs tailored to address the unique challenges faced by food businesses in North India.

On this association,Vice Chancellor of Sharda University, expressed, “Sharda Launchpad, in collaboration with FigFax, embodies Sharda University’s unwavering commitment to fostering entrepreneurship in North India’s food industry. We envision it as a beacon of hope for aspiring food entrepreneurs, offering them the tools, mentorship, and funding needed to thrive in this vibrant sector. With a shared commitment to innovation and growth, we believe that Sharda Launchpad will be a perfect recipe for startup success as well as economic development in the region, creating a lasting impact on the food business landscape.”

Ashu Agrawal, Founder and CEO of FigFax, affirmed, “In the world of entrepreneurship, the challenge for budding foodpreneurs has always been accessing the right resources and mentorship to turn their dreams into reality. Our tie-up with Sharda University aims to address this gap head-on. For entrepreneurs, this collaboration is fantastic news as it offers them a golden opportunity to spice up their businesses and lead a revolution in the food industry. We extend a warm invitation to all aspiring food business owners to join us on this exciting journey.”

Startups and emerging food brands participating in Sharda Launchpad can anticipate a multitude of benefits. This collaboration will provide financial support, access to seasoned mentors, and personalized acceleration programs, all tailored to address the unique challenges faced by food businesses in North India. The partnership aims to equip startups with the knowledge and tools needed to scale their businesses successfully, covering aspects such as product development, marketing strategies, financial management, and more. Furthermore, Sharda Launchpad will cultivate a collaborative community of food entrepreneurs, encouraging the exchange of ideas and best practices.

Startups willing to register for this program can visit at https://launchpad.sharda.ac.in/food-accelerator and register for this specially curated accelerator program.

About FigFax

Figfax is a dedicated platform with a focus on supporting the growth of the food and beverage industry through strategic investments and unwavering commitment to innovation. The platform stands at the forefront of fostering sustainable growth in the sector.

Figfax aims to empower Food businesses to innovate, expand, and captivate taste buds not just in India but across the globe.

For more Details: www.figfax.com

About Sharda

Sharda University established Sharda Launchpad Federation, a section 8 company registered under the companies act 2013, as a centre for entrepreneurship development with a commitment to contribute to the enhancement of the entrepreneurial skills among aspiring entrepreneurs and startup founders and to "Help people help themselves” through innovation and entrepreneurship. Sharda Launchpad provides a platform for new and emerging small and medium – scale enterprise through its ecosystem connect necessary for the development and management of the enterprise. Passionate and visionary innovators working on large impact scalable business ideas are mentored with multiple opportunities enabling them to become successful entrepreneurs.

Website:https://launchpad.sharda.ac.in/food-accelerator

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/innovationsforimpact-slpf-0a08571bb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShardaLaunchpad

Gray Matters Capital Launches Its Accelerator Program ‘GMC Calibrator’ for Education and Skilling Startups

Gray Matters Capital, an impact investor focused on enterprises working to improve access to affordable quality education and employability in India, has today announced the launch of ‘GMC Calibrator’ -- a 6 month Zero Equity Blended Accelerator Program.

This is India’s first accelerator program focused on improving ‘User Engagement’ on mobile apps and digital platforms of enterprises in the ‘Learning to Earning’ space. The participants will be provided end-user behavioural insights which will enable product improvements leading to improved learning outcomes.

Speaking about the launch of its latest initiative in India, Ragini Chaudhary, India CEO, Gray Matters Capital said, “The GMC Calibrator is aimed at those enterprises with digital solutions which have the disruptive potential to change the paradigm of education and skilling in the country. We are also looking to bridge the gender gap that exists in education and workforce participation with this.”

Gray Matters Capital has partnered with consultancy firm, ZingerLABS; behavioral architecture firm, Final Mile Consulting; Amazon’s AWS Activate and angel investor network, Indian Angel Network (IAN) for this program. It will look to select 8 participants in the first cohort of the GMC Calibrator and will keep the application window open until 5th May,2018.

"Encouraging startups in the 'Learning to Earning’ space will have a huge impact in bridging the skill shortage in India. In addition, the void such startups can fill by nudging learners to complete their education is immense. Indian Angel Network will be actively assisting the GMC Calibrator team to turn these fledgling startups to promising enterprises," said Padmaja Ruparel, President & Co-Founder, Indian Angel Network (IAN) & Founding Partner, IAN Fund

Highlighting the importance of such an accelerator program in the Edtech space, Anurag Vaish, Co-Founder, Final Mile Consulting said, “We see that retention rates on edtech platforms is on an average less than 15% which eventually translate into poor learning outcomes. There is an urgent need to solve this. We see that the GMC Calibrator, with its uniqueness of being focused on applying principles of behavioral design to enhance user engagement on mobile apps and digital platforms, is an attempt in doing so.”

Who Can Apply?

• Gray Matters Capital is receiving applications from India based organizations operating in the education and skill building sector focused on improving access to quality education (Pre-KG, K12, Test prep), imparting 21st century skillsets, preparing learners for the future of work and those facilitating life-long learning.



• Applicants can also be enterprises catering to the growing 'gig economy' as well as those with solutions for women and girls that help bridge gender gaps in education and workforce participation



• Every applicant needs to have a digital / mobile based solution in the above listed categories

Enterprises will go through a rigorous selection process by an esteemed jury led by Archana Priyadarshini, Partner, Unicorn India Ventures; Parag Dhol, Managing Director, Inventus; Savitha Singh, Global IT leader and Retail technologist among others.

Selected enterprises for the cohort can access up to $ 35,000 worth growth voucher based customized one-on-one expertise on user engagement and product strategy. The objective is to solve a specific product challenge in the six months of the program which can help in them scaling up and gain traction of the targeted users.

The top 2 enterprises in the cohort with the highest potential for impact will win a cash prize of $ 30,000 and $ 20,000. At the end of program, the cohort gets to pitch to a network of investors for funding.

“Designing for User Engagement is a deliberate endeavour that can increase both impact and value of products and services. The GMC Calibrator will help enterprises journey beyond user acquisition to ‘User Engagement’”, said Bhanu Potta, Founding Partner – ZingerLABS, who will serve as a mentor to the cohort.

The GMC Calibrator does not charge any participation fees.

To recall, GMC has recently invested undsiclosed amount in Chennai based EZ Vidya Pvt Ltd, a parent company which runs Chrysalis, an education reform startup

Gray Matters Capital (GMC) is an Atlanta based impact investor with a mission to support "An education leading to a more purposeful life for 100 million women by 2036." In India, it invests in for-profit education ventures with a focus on access to affordable quality education and on employability leading to a future job ready workforce with 21st century skills. Investments in education focused funds; enterprises with break through solutions in education with its edLABS initiative; building markets through ecosystem development and providing value beyond capital through portfolio management constitute the key focus areas of its India strategy.

Gray Matters Capital Launches Its Accelerator Program ‘GMC Calibrator’ for Education and Skilling Startups

Gray Matters Capital, an impact investor focused on enterprises working to improve access to affordable quality education and employability in India, has today announced the launch of ‘GMC Calibrator’ -- a 6 month Zero Equity Blended Accelerator Program.

This is India’s first accelerator program focused on improving ‘User Engagement’ on mobile apps and digital platforms of enterprises in the ‘Learning to Earning’ space. The participants will be provided end-user behavioural insights which will enable product improvements leading to improved learning outcomes.

Speaking about the launch of its latest initiative in India, Ragini Chaudhary, India CEO, Gray Matters Capital said, “The GMC Calibrator is aimed at those enterprises with digital solutions which have the disruptive potential to change the paradigm of education and skilling in the country. We are also looking to bridge the gender gap that exists in education and workforce participation with this.”

Gray Matters Capital has partnered with consultancy firm, ZingerLABS; behavioral architecture firm, Final Mile Consulting; Amazon’s AWS Activate and angel investor network, Indian Angel Network (IAN) for this program. It will look to select 8 participants in the first cohort of the GMC Calibrator and will keep the application window open until 5th May,2018.

"Encouraging startups in the 'Learning to Earning’ space will have a huge impact in bridging the skill shortage in India. In addition, the void such startups can fill by nudging learners to complete their education is immense. Indian Angel Network will be actively assisting the GMC Calibrator team to turn these fledgling startups to promising enterprises," said Padmaja Ruparel, President & Co-Founder, Indian Angel Network (IAN) & Founding Partner, IAN Fund

Highlighting the importance of such an accelerator program in the Edtech space, Anurag Vaish, Co-Founder, Final Mile Consulting said, “We see that retention rates on edtech platforms is on an average less than 15% which eventually translate into poor learning outcomes. There is an urgent need to solve this. We see that the GMC Calibrator, with its uniqueness of being focused on applying principles of behavioral design to enhance user engagement on mobile apps and digital platforms, is an attempt in doing so.”

Who Can Apply?

• Gray Matters Capital is receiving applications from India based organizations operating in the education and skill building sector focused on improving access to quality education (Pre-KG, K12, Test prep), imparting 21st century skillsets, preparing learners for the future of work and those facilitating life-long learning.



• Applicants can also be enterprises catering to the growing 'gig economy' as well as those with solutions for women and girls that help bridge gender gaps in education and workforce participation



• Every applicant needs to have a digital / mobile based solution in the above listed categories

Enterprises will go through a rigorous selection process by an esteemed jury led by Archana Priyadarshini, Partner, Unicorn India Ventures; Parag Dhol, Managing Director, Inventus; Savitha Singh, Global IT leader and Retail technologist among others.

Selected enterprises for the cohort can access up to $ 35,000 worth growth voucher based customized one-on-one expertise on user engagement and product strategy. The objective is to solve a specific product challenge in the six months of the program which can help in them scaling up and gain traction of the targeted users.

The top 2 enterprises in the cohort with the highest potential for impact will win a cash prize of $ 30,000 and $ 20,000. At the end of program, the cohort gets to pitch to a network of investors for funding.

“Designing for User Engagement is a deliberate endeavour that can increase both impact and value of products and services. The GMC Calibrator will help enterprises journey beyond user acquisition to ‘User Engagement’”, said Bhanu Potta, Founding Partner – ZingerLABS, who will serve as a mentor to the cohort.

The GMC Calibrator does not charge any participation fees.

To recall, GMC has recently invested undsiclosed amount in Chennai based EZ Vidya Pvt Ltd, a parent company which runs Chrysalis, an education reform startup

Gray Matters Capital (GMC) is an Atlanta based impact investor with a mission to support "An education leading to a more purposeful life for 100 million women by 2036." In India, it invests in for-profit education ventures with a focus on access to affordable quality education and on employability leading to a future job ready workforce with 21st century skills. Investments in education focused funds; enterprises with break through solutions in education with its edLABS initiative; building markets through ecosystem development and providing value beyond capital through portfolio management constitute the key focus areas of its India strategy.

Edugild Launches Fourth Batch Of Edtech Business Accelerator Programme; On-boards Five Edtech Startups

After completion of three successful batches with 16 companies, Edugild, an initiative of Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT), Pune paves way for the 4th batch of its accelerator programme. The global edtech startup accelerator will create a customized ecosystem to scale up five edtech startups from September 2017. The selected startups will be a part of an intensive 4-6 months of Edugild’s business acceleration program designed by global experts and have an extended 12-18 months of relationship.

Speaking on the development, Rishi Kapal, Global Strategist and CEO of Edugild said, “We are proud to host the fourth batch of our edtech accelerator program. The uniqueness of this batch is the diversity of the startups – ranging from robotics, artificial intelligence, overseas education consultants, virtual labs, creative learning into Film, TV, performing arts, design. EDUGILD aims to support impressive talent that employs the latest technologies to address education-related challenges and expand existing markets or create new markets globally.”

Edugild will offer an access to co-working space, product life cycle management support, organization development inputs, business landscape, investor relations, UI/UX maturity, PR strategy and global scale-up opportunities to the five edtech startups.

All these edtech startups are aligned to Edugild’s thought (Vision) of “Revenue first and Funding Later”. The fourth batch will go through a diagnostic boot camp on 8th and 9th September in Pune. Subject matter experts in relevant domains will work 1:1 with the companies to figure out their needs and action plans.

With the launch of the 4th batch, Edugild now has a bouquet of 21 edtech startups of which 6 are from overseas and the rest from India. Edugild’s program spans across multi-disciplinary engagements, customized for each startup. From the cohorts edtech startups Simulanis, Gradopedia, Classboat, Ahhaa, YoScholar, ProctorEdu have already raised funds and overall the entire portfolio of companies are scaling up well. Edugild has also expanded its partnership horizons to cross borders with EPG UK, Edtech Israel, JMD EDU China and strategic alliances in USA and Australia.

The startups for the fourth batch were selected from an application long tail of 250+ companies. The startups of the fourth batch are - Edvantics from Hyderabad, KnowHassles from Mumbai, Musein from Bengaluru, Vidya Robotics from Pune, Aurangabad and TrisLabs from Bengaluru.

Meet The Five Edtech Startups  

Edvantics

Founded by ISB Alumni and ex Microsoft employees, Edvantics is creating an ecosystem of products and services, to help educational institutes and students across K-12 and Higher Education to realize their maximum potential and succeed. HEDNext is the initial flagship offering from Edvantics geared for institutes to manage quality and improve faculty productivity. The Hyderabad-based platform brings together institutes, students, campus recruiters and skill providers to benefit from AI based recommendations in selecting right jobs, candidates, courses, and careers.

KnowHassles

Founded by a problem solver and serial entrepreneur KnowHassles EdApt intends to provide accurate solutions to international students’ everlasting problems related to the settlement in a foreign land in the form of concise mobile app. The Mumbai-based mobile app displays perfect combination of vital information about necessary on arrival processes, social networking based value added services, student specific product marketing and e-commerce shopping experience.

Musein

Founded by an IIM Kozhikode and IIT Madras alum, ex KPMG professional, Musein is a learning and mentorship community for people interested in creative areas like Film, TV, performing arts, design etc with access to online courses: rich quality courses developed by experts in respective creative fields ranging from basic to advanced level. Mentorship: mentors with prior experience to provide necessary support and guidance through consultation sessions, and full-fledged mentorship programs.

Vidya Robotics

Vidya Robotics is a consumer electronics company which is developing a host of educational robots for children’s edutainment. Their products aim at enhancing STEM skills in young minds above 8 years and making learning a fun activity for them. Using principles of Robotics, AI & IOT, our Robots and kits help children receive an early exposure to technology, coding and electronic hardware.

TrisLabs

The founders being BITS Pilani alumni and ex Avaya, TrisLabs is the first collaborative online learning platform that unifies practical and theoretical learning by providing “on the go” virtual labs, helping students, teachers, universities and Industry. Their story is about making higher education a fascinating process – Transformation from burning a costly Electronic hardware to simulating over the internet, from environment dependent system to platform agnostic simulating environment.

 

SAP StartUp Studio To Double Its Indian Startups Intake for Its Accelerator Program

Seeing the huge potential that the Indian tech Startup ecosystem holds, Europe's largest technology company, SAP has decided to double its startup intake for its accelerator programme, SAP StartUp Studio, in India from seven to 16 startups this year.

Founded in June, 2016, the 12 months long mentorship programme in Bangalore, allows the selected startups a full access to SAP's technology and customer base. In addition to this, they also get support and coaching from SAP to better their business model.

The Germany-based company believes that startups will be acting as a key enabler in riding the next wave of technology disruption in the industry. Not only this, the company predicts a time in the future where the companies might no longer own or subscribe but will favour paying per use.

The SAP StartUp Studio programme is a part of SAP's efforts in transforming itself into a cloud-based service company and stepping away from being a company dependent on costly licence fees and upfront installations.

"India is a growing market for startups. We are successful and start-ups are successful if we join forces," said Bernd Leukert, member of the Executive Board of SAP, in a statement to ET. He further added, "Once they have built software, then we have marketplace to place their products which makes our solutions better and richer. One plus one is more than two."

SAP, which is a market leader in enterprise application software, will help selected startups decompose their dedicated services, offer these services on a digital platform in the cloud and enable them to develop new solutions faster. With this, the company will get to be an integral part of their journey to success.

According to SAP, India is doing phenomenally well as a technology and innovation exporter to the world, and the only emerging country among the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations that is growing at an impressive pace.

After the completion of the programme, the startups have an option of scaling up their businesses on their own or partnering with SAP for further expansion. They might even get acquired by SAP itself or any other company that might be interested in the venture.

In the past, SAP has acknowledged that it is looking forward to small acquisitions and partnerships with big industrial companies in order to prepare for new trends such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning etc.

In addition to the SAP StartUp Studio programme, the Germany-based company has contact with over 400 Indian startups through a number of other programmes. It is currently adding about 100 new startup engagements in India every year.

The company believes the accelerator programme along with its other funding and startup engagement programmes will help it tap into the technology rich talent in the Indian subcontinent.