Accelerator GHV partners Nasscom to back 10 startups a year, ropes in Google India head as mentor

Green House Ventures (GHV) just got a new ally for its accelerator program for startups. It will now partner with Indian IT industry body National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) to pick and support 10 tech startups every year. Google India managing director Rajan Anandan, a prolific angel investor, has also been roped in as mentor for the program, focusing on startups between the incubation and venture capital stages.

GHV’s acceleration program offers sustainability funding of up to US$100,000 and other necessary resources to help fledgling startups scale, boost key business metrics, and help them reach the series A stage.

“Our partnership with GHV will accelerate startups with a comprehensive array of market research services, go-to-market assistance, funding support and educational/networking opportunities which are important for post-incubation and early stage companies,” Rajat Tandon, senior director of NASSCOM’s 10,000 Startups initiative, says.

According to an announcement from GHV, this alliance means that NASSCOM will organize a startup selection process in which GHV will participate and review applications. Selected GHV startups could also take part in the demo days organized by NASSCOM.

In 2013, NASSCOM launched its 10,000 Startups initiative, in collaboration with Google and Microsoft, to help build 10,000 tech startups in India by 2023.

Last year, GHV collaborated with Japanese VC fund World Innovation Labs (WiL) founded by serial entrepreneur Gen Isayama and former chief incubation officer of Yahoo, Masataka Matsumoto. WiL helps GHV startups to expand globally, especially in the Japanese and US markets.

See: The Lightbox way: why the Indian VC wants to invest $100M in fewer than 10 startups