Tata providing a helping hand to technology companies

Nikita Peer

Starting up is never easy and expert guidance is hard to come by. But entrepreneurs making their debut can take heart, with a new incubation centre to hand-hold you till your venture finds its feet. The new incubation programme - incub@TE - has been launched by Tata Elxsi, a design company that blends technology, creativity and engineering to help entrepreneurs transform ideas into viable products and solutions. Who Can Apply Located on the Old Airport Road in Bangalore, the centre will support and nurture start-ups dealing with mobile apps, social media, cloud computing, embedded applications and other emerging technology for 18-24 months. “Tata Elxsi has been focussed on technology and new product and service development. We look forward to working with aspiring, young entrepreneurs to help them realise their full potential, by providing infrastructure, expertise, support and access to key markets and funding,” says Madhukar Dev, MD & CEO, Tata Elxsi, which will own a stake of 5-10 per cent in the start-ups it is incubating. Screening Process Depending on the idea, business plan, lead time required to enter the market and expected scale-up, the centre will provide help to its seekers, reveals Rajesh Kumar, Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives, Tata Elxsi. “We will appoint internal and external evaluators including experts with a technology background, successful start-ups in that segment and business planners in the Screening Committee. On completion of the initial filtering, we will have a quarterly review of their business.” Slots Available The programme can currently accommodate about 10 teams with 5 people each. “Besides infrastructure, we will provide expert advice through mentors from time to time, which will help them formulate plans, redefine ideas and connect with private equity companies and the right kind of people. Entrepreneurs associated with the programme will also gain better market visibility, acceptance and credibility,” adds Kumar. You can send your feedback on smementor@moneycontrol.com or simply post comments below