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The accelerator program mentors startups that can spur innovation and disrupt the sports tech industry.
India Accelerator - the only GAN partnered, a mentorship-driven accelerator program in India, has recently collaborated with JSW Sports - the sports arm of the JSW Group (a multinational $13 billion conglomerate) to launch an exclusive premier seed and early-stage Sports Tech Cohort.
The collaboration plans to build a growth-focused accelerator program for early-stage startups in the sports arena. It aims to promote technology in the Indian sports ecosystem, create a conducive environment for collaboration among startups and foster technological innovation. The newly launched accelerator programme will work at different growth stages of the startups. It will help them learn from industry experts and mentors to create robust strategies for their business and stay ahead of the curve.
Delighted with the Cohort’s launch, Mona Singh of Co-founder IA said, “The sports tech industry is stepping up and there is a pressing need for responsible startups to innovate with advanced technologies and enhance customer experiences. We are proud to collaborate with JSW Sports to come up with our first Sports Tech Cohort which will present a unique opportunity for sports startups to scale and tap into the world of opportunities in the sports arena.”
As part of the partnership, a 16-20 week long Sports Tech Cohort will be offered to a cohort of five to seven seed-stage startups with strong business ideas. It will cover the five major aspects of every startup: Agility, Operations, Technology, Culture and Strategy. Further, it will offer the startup founders a springboard to success by making the resources, expertise and industry connections accessible to them.
“India has been at the forefront of technological innovations across sectors and I think we are at the cusp of a revolution in the sports industry, with a multitude of factors catalysing the entry of tech-based solutions in the rapidly evolving sports sector in India. We are confident that this industry is going to expand and see huge potential in homegrown startups helping redefine the sports business in India,” said Mustafa Ghouse, CEO of JSW Sports.
As part of the Sports Tech Cohort, the startups will gain access to twin mentorship tracks, Domain and Industry Mentors with access to exclusive sessions and one-on-ones conducted by industry experts. In addition, the selected startups will become a part of India Accelerator’s Global Network and sports ecosystem.
Being a part of the Sports Tech Cohort, the startups will also get access to India Accelerator’s sprawling co-working space with go to the market environment. Furthermore, the programme will also focus on the founders' grooming, organize a demo day and provide better exposure to a range of investors.
India Accelerator and JSW Sports have received around 200 applications from all kinds of domains including Sports Data Analysis, Digital Media, Wearables and Performance, Fan Engagement, Stadiums and Venues Sponsorship Assets, e-Sports, gaming etc. After a thoughtful evaluation, the companies have shortlisted 4 startups so far and the search for new inductees is still on.
The list of the selected startups includes - Playckc Interactive Pvt. Ltd (a LIVE sports gaming platform), ATIUM (Scremlind Healthcare Pvt. Ltd) – India’s first sports technology product that offers High-Performance management solutions to athletes, sports teams, clubs, and academies, Supersub – a high-tech platform that makes world-class training available to athletes and Blue Billion Tech Pvt. Ltd – a live gaming platform of popular social games.
IA has already conducted over 4 successful cohorts and has helped more than 100 start-ups scale by guiding them to the right set of opportunities. On the other hand, JSW has been playing a leading role in creating a sporting culture in India by maximizing the potential of Indian sports and athletes. As part of the partnership, IA and JSW Sports plan to plug the startups into the industry and boost their growth potential.
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