Microsoft Ventures Accelerator in India opens applications for spring 2014 batch of startups

After reorganizing all its startup programs under one roof this summer, Microsoft India today called for fresh applications from technology startups for the fourth batch of the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator.

Starting today, interested tech startups can apply online for the Bangalore-based accelerator program. Entry closes on November 15.

The selected startups will be informed by November 25, followed by personal interactions with the jury panel on December 13. After the selection process, the names of the selected startups for the four-month long acceleration program will be announced on December 20. The fourth batch will start on January 22 next year and will end with a demo day slated for some time in May 2014.

80 percent of the 22 startups that have successfully graduated from the program have attracted funding, so it has a good track record in the country. Ravi Narayan, director of Microsoft Ventures in India, commented today:

We are looking for exceptional entrepreneurs who are building companies for India and global markets. Our network of about 150 mentors along with our vast network of partners will prove very beneficial to any startup looking to make it big in cloud, internet, mobile and data analytics technologies. We love startups that are solving interesting problems, requiring enormous scale.

Microsoft Ventures Accelerator hosts two batches a year, from July to November and January to May. The winter batch of 2013, which is also the current batch of startups being accelerated at the facility, will graduate on November 29th this year.

(Editing by Steven Millward)