Microsoft Ventures launches ‘JumpStart’ to help Indian startups and entrepreneurs

Microsoft Ventures today announced the launch of a new initiative in India called ‘JumpStart’. It is a toll free helpline which will provide startups and entrepreneurs with resources to ask business and technical questions. The service will be open during business hours from Monday-Friday between 9AM to 5PM IST.

Microsoft Ventures is the global technology giant’s initiative designed to attract and nurture top entrepreneurs through its fund, accelerators, and community programs. “Microsoft Ventures supports startups at every stage of maturity by providing them with the tools, resources and expertise they need to succeed,” said Joseph Landes, General Manager, Developer & Platform Evangelism, Microsoft India.

“Our experience has shown that a major pain point for startups across the ecosystem in India, irrespective of their stage of maturity, is the lack of real-time support for various critical queries they face. JumpStart fills a major gap and ensures that startups get professional advice that enables them to make smart business decisions,” he continued.

Microsoft Ventures has tied up with thousands of lawyers, tax and human resources service providers, and chartered accountants to help startups and entrepreneurs find solutions to queries. These queries will be answered by professionals who have been trained by Microsoft. As of now, there is just one call center in Delhi to handle the queries. The company says it will soon extend it to satisfy the needs. It anticipates about 500 to 1,000 calls per week.

The initiative has received overwhelming response by the government and industry leaders throughout the nation. Microsoft held a launch event this morning at Microsoft Ventures Accelerator in Bangalore, India. “So many great ideas are born every day. While some are nurtured by the industry, many face a short lifespan because they go unnoticed and end up making wrong decisions due to lack of proper guidance or information. By availing this critical support through JumpStart, startups will have the opportunity to be heard and have access to informed decision-making support, a critical component in their journey. We are delighted that this service will also be available shortly through the Karnataka MobileOne Platform, our new mobile governance system,” said Srivatsa Krishna, Secretary, IT, Biotechnology, Science & Technology and Secretary E-Governance, Karnataka.

The service is currently available in English and Hindi, but the company may add more languages depending on demand going forward.