MUMBAI: Startup accelerator Zone Startups India will launch two new accelerator programmes in digital inclusion, smart cities and Internet of Things space (IoT), early next year.

“We are going to launch two accelerator programmes in digital inclusion and smart cities and internet of things areas starting early next year,” Ajay Ramasubramaniam, director of Zone Startups India told reporters here.

The programmes will be for a duration of six months and have about 6-8 participants each, he added.

“These are areas where a lot of action is expected, and there are many startups innovating in this sector,” he added.

The programmes will receive operational funding from the Department of Science and Technology.

Zone Startups is a joint venture company between Toronto-based Ryerson Futures, and BSE Institute, a subsidiary of BSE India.

Ramasubramaniam said, besides running its own accelerator programme, it manages other accellerator programmes like Barclays Rise, Axis Bank’s Thought Factory, as well as other corporate innovation programmes, which help it in being self-sustainable.

The accelerator also runs the Next BIG Idea programme along with the government of Ontario, Canada, to help Indian startups with potential to set up operations and scale in North America.

“This is the fourth year of the programme, and so far we have soft-landed over 17 startups in North America,” he said.

Six Indian startups who have won the contest this year, will spend two weeks at Ryerson University’s incubator, DMZ.

Google, HDFC BankBSE -1.47 pct and TCSBSE -0.89 pct are the industry partners for the Next BIG Idea contest.

This year, Zone Startups conducted roadshows across 12 cities for the Next BIG Idea contest and got 389 applications, Ramasubramaniam said.

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