UpGrad to offer entrepreneurship program under Start Up India

Online education provider UpGrad has launched an entrepreneurship programme under government's 'Start Up India' initiative to provide insights into areas like validation of ideas, funding and legal framework for new businesses.

The new 4-week programme -- Startup India Learning Program -- is a joint initiative of UpGrad, InvestIndia and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

"This one (with government) is pro bono. It will be unique to those who want to be an entrepreneur, basically those who are willing to spend 25-40 hours of their time over a period of a month to either know more whether they want to be an entrepreneur or upscale," UpGrad Co-founder and Chairman Ronnie Screwvala told PTI.

He added that the company expects to see participation from 1 million people this year.

Founded in 2015, UpGrad offers a similar three-month paid programme for entrepreneurs, which has seen participation from about 500-600 individuals.

"Today's launch has got us 17,000 registrations, which we think will get to a lakh in the next 10-15 days and then the idea is to get to a million people," Screwvala said.

UpGrad Co-founder and MD Mayank Kumar said the programme offered under 'Start Up India' will cover concepts on idea validation, legal foundation for startups as well as areas like fund raising and pitching to investors.