Microsoft has just announced the names of the 14 startups it has selected for its tenth accelerator batch, and by the looks of it, the year 2017 is going to belong to Artificial intelligence (AI), business-to-business (B2B) and machine learning businesses as all the selected startups have at least one of these elements as a core part of their product offerings.
According to Microsoft, it chose its final fourteen on the basis of three main parameters: how deep the technology associated with their products is; the level of traction; and if the startups were founded by successful professionals and serial entrepreneurs with domain expertise.
The startups were narrowed down from the portfolios of several top venture capital firms in the world, including Pi Ventures, Ideaspring Capital, Accel Partners, IDG Ventures and Inventus Capital Partners.
Of the 14 shortlisted startups, 7 are series-stage mature businesses, currently doing an average annual revenue rate (ARR) of a whopping $1.5 million (Rs 10 crore) and an average funding of $3.2 million (over Rs 21 crore). As for the seed-stage companies selected, they have an average ARR of $200,000 (Rs 1.33 crore), and an average funding of $1.5 million (Rs 10 crore).
All the selected startups will be adopting Microsoft’s cloud offering Azure and make use of its technologies like big data, internet of things (IoT) and advanced analytics, among others to better their products. They will also be getting help from Microsoft’s experienced sales and marketing teams, and the tech giant's partners all across the globe.
The selected startups will be undergoing an intensive programme at Bengaluru-based Microsoft Accelerator that will increase the preparedness of their enterprises for a long haul in the industry.
The shortlisted startups are:
1) Active.ai: Bengaluru-based Active.ai is a full-stack, enterprise AI platform that allows banks, financial services companies to offer its customers with conversational banking experience. The startup came into existence in 2016.
2) FirstHive: Mumbai-based First Hive is helping brands create unique marketing identities from customer interactions across marketing channels, driving customer conversations and marketing return on their website investment. The startup was founded eight years ago in 2007.
3) Tricog: Bengaluru-based Tricog is an Artificial Intelligence startup that makes use of technology to help connect heart patients with doctors. The startup started its journey two years ago in 2015.
4) QuestionPro : Seattle-based QuestionPro provides web-based survey software to analyse customer satisfaction, market research, employee satisfaction survey by making use of tools that allow creation, distribution, and analysis of surveys. The company was founded in the year 2002.
5) Witty Parrot: It is a smart knowledge automation, collaboration and communication platform for sales, marketing, support and HR. The startup was founded in 2012.
6) Lavelle Networks: Bengaluru-based Lavelle Networks builds enterprise data networking platforms that makes way for high-speed and safe consumption of cloud applications. The startup is hopeful that their acceptance into Microsoft accelerator will help them in making their platform reach a wider audience. The startup was founded in 2015.
7) Zenatix: The Gurugram-based is a data-driven energy efficiency company that is helping retail chains and banks cut their electricity consumption by almost 30% by making use of IoT and machine learning-based intelligent controls. It was founded in 2013.
8) Heckyl: Mumbai-based Heckyl is a big data-based analytical platform for investors, traders and researchers in the financial industry. It provides real-time news and data analytics to investors, fund managers, brokerage firms and short-term traders. The startup was founded in 2010.
9) LetsTransport: The Bengaluru-based startup is a logistics tech startup that is into building enterprise data networking platforms, which enables high-speed and safe consumption of cloud applications. The startup came to existence in 2015.
10) Karomi: The Chennai-based company manages compliance and speedy approval of packaging artworks for FMCG and pharmaceutical companies. It also help their products reach the market faster. The company started its journey way back in 1999.
11) Syscloud: The New York-based company is a cloud security platform that helps detect and at the same time stop financial, customer, sales and IP data from insider theft, breaches and outside attacks. The startup was founded in 2010.
12) Sigtuple: The Bengaluru-based startup provides machine-learning based solutions for detection of anomalies in medical testing. It aims to improve accuracy in disease diagnosis. The startup took birth two years ago in 2015.
13) vPhrase: The Mumbai-based startup is an Artificial Intelligence-based platform that makes complex data reports more readable by summarizing data and analysis in words. The startup was founded in 2015.
14) Acebot.ai: The San Jose-based startup is an enterprise chatbot solution that makes use of conversational user interface to enable collaboration, team productivity and data collation within any enterprise. The startup came into existence in 2015.
According to Microsoft, it chose its final fourteen on the basis of three main parameters: how deep the technology associated with their products is; the level of traction; and if the startups were founded by successful professionals and serial entrepreneurs with domain expertise.
The startups were narrowed down from the portfolios of several top venture capital firms in the world, including Pi Ventures, Ideaspring Capital, Accel Partners, IDG Ventures and Inventus Capital Partners.
Of the 14 shortlisted startups, 7 are series-stage mature businesses, currently doing an average annual revenue rate (ARR) of a whopping $1.5 million (Rs 10 crore) and an average funding of $3.2 million (over Rs 21 crore). As for the seed-stage companies selected, they have an average ARR of $200,000 (Rs 1.33 crore), and an average funding of $1.5 million (Rs 10 crore).
All the selected startups will be adopting Microsoft’s cloud offering Azure and make use of its technologies like big data, internet of things (IoT) and advanced analytics, among others to better their products. They will also be getting help from Microsoft’s experienced sales and marketing teams, and the tech giant's partners all across the globe.
The selected startups will be undergoing an intensive programme at Bengaluru-based Microsoft Accelerator that will increase the preparedness of their enterprises for a long haul in the industry.
The shortlisted startups are:
1) Active.ai: Bengaluru-based Active.ai is a full-stack, enterprise AI platform that allows banks, financial services companies to offer its customers with conversational banking experience. The startup came into existence in 2016.
2) FirstHive: Mumbai-based First Hive is helping brands create unique marketing identities from customer interactions across marketing channels, driving customer conversations and marketing return on their website investment. The startup was founded eight years ago in 2007.
3) Tricog: Bengaluru-based Tricog is an Artificial Intelligence startup that makes use of technology to help connect heart patients with doctors. The startup started its journey two years ago in 2015.
4) QuestionPro : Seattle-based QuestionPro provides web-based survey software to analyse customer satisfaction, market research, employee satisfaction survey by making use of tools that allow creation, distribution, and analysis of surveys. The company was founded in the year 2002.
5) Witty Parrot: It is a smart knowledge automation, collaboration and communication platform for sales, marketing, support and HR. The startup was founded in 2012.
6) Lavelle Networks: Bengaluru-based Lavelle Networks builds enterprise data networking platforms that makes way for high-speed and safe consumption of cloud applications. The startup is hopeful that their acceptance into Microsoft accelerator will help them in making their platform reach a wider audience. The startup was founded in 2015.
7) Zenatix: The Gurugram-based is a data-driven energy efficiency company that is helping retail chains and banks cut their electricity consumption by almost 30% by making use of IoT and machine learning-based intelligent controls. It was founded in 2013.
8) Heckyl: Mumbai-based Heckyl is a big data-based analytical platform for investors, traders and researchers in the financial industry. It provides real-time news and data analytics to investors, fund managers, brokerage firms and short-term traders. The startup was founded in 2010.
9) LetsTransport: The Bengaluru-based startup is a logistics tech startup that is into building enterprise data networking platforms, which enables high-speed and safe consumption of cloud applications. The startup came to existence in 2015.
10) Karomi: The Chennai-based company manages compliance and speedy approval of packaging artworks for FMCG and pharmaceutical companies. It also help their products reach the market faster. The company started its journey way back in 1999.
11) Syscloud: The New York-based company is a cloud security platform that helps detect and at the same time stop financial, customer, sales and IP data from insider theft, breaches and outside attacks. The startup was founded in 2010.
12) Sigtuple: The Bengaluru-based startup provides machine-learning based solutions for detection of anomalies in medical testing. It aims to improve accuracy in disease diagnosis. The startup took birth two years ago in 2015.
13) vPhrase: The Mumbai-based startup is an Artificial Intelligence-based platform that makes complex data reports more readable by summarizing data and analysis in words. The startup was founded in 2015.
14) Acebot.ai: The San Jose-based startup is an enterprise chatbot solution that makes use of conversational user interface to enable collaboration, team productivity and data collation within any enterprise. The startup came into existence in 2015.
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