In a unique first in India, Microsoft in association with the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE), at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is organizing “Innovation Accelerator Program”. This two-week-long incubation program will help this next generation of software developers harness their exceptional talent and take their ideas a step further towards commercial reality.

In all there will be 13 teams attending the program –

Given the various constraints that potential entrepreneurs face in taking their dreams to reality in India, the Innovation Accelerator can help student teams move through the phases of starting a business by

  • helping those who have an idea and intention to start an enterprise to
  • move to the second phase of recognizing a viable business concept and for a select few
  • to make the leap to the third phase by assembling resources to create an organization and
  • to celebrate the success of those who finally end up exchanging with the market and contributing to the local software ecosystem in India.

In order to help these students cross the chasm and fructify their ideas, Microsoft has set up a fund of US$ 10,000 for one team of students that starts up its own company within a stipulated time-frame.

Key topics that will be covered over the two week period include -

  • Concept of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Indian Context
  • Social Entrepreneurship
  • Crossing the trenches - Becoming an Entrepreneur
  • Finance and Costing
  • Legal, IPR and Strategy
  • Organization Behavior
  • Marketing and Start-ups
  • Operations Issues with Start-ups
  • IT- Commercialization Issues
  • Business plan Essentials
    • Marketing plan
    • Operational plan
    • Management and Organization
    • Financial plan

Most of the sessions will be recorded and I will upload links to these to the blog later when they become available.