India Accelerator To Give Wings to Startups in Dubai

India Accelerator, a seed funding group, intends to support 20-25 start-ups in Dubai. It has dedicated funds to invest up to USD 20 million in its first year of operation. Incubator will provide start-up founders with four-month training in business growth.

National Capital Region based India Accelerator (IA) will partner with USA’s Global Accelerator Network (GAN) to launch an incubator in Dubai. 

The Dubai Incubator

The iAccel Gulf Business Incubator (iAccel GBI) will be set up under Dubai SME, an agency of the emirate, and aims to support 20-25 start-ups in Dubai in its first year of operation. IA has dedicated funds of up to USD 20 million for investment in the new programme.

What will IAccel GBI offer?

The iAccel GBI will offer a four-month training programme to start-up founders focused on de-risking and business growth. It will also provide mentorship, networking, and fundraising opportunities, working with stakeholders to strengthen the startup ecosystem in the United Arab Emirates. IA plans to bring more than 20 start-ups from its portfolio to Dubai in the next 12 to 18 months, covering the domains of healthtech, AI, fintech, agritech, cybertech, D2C, and deeptech.

The India Accelerator – GAN partnership

IA is the first GAN-partnered accelerator in India, offering mentorship, business growth, and funding to entrepreneurs. 

What is India Accelerator?

India Accelerator is a seed-stage accelerator program that helps startups grow from GOOD to GREAT.

With a portfolio of over 150 start-ups and a network of more than 1,400 mentors, the company was founded in March 2017 by Ashish Bhatia, Abhay Chawla, and Mona Singh. IA provides a range of services in the fields of technical, digital marketing, legal, financial, working space, meeting rooms, and super-fast, reliable wireless internet access.

IA offers three types of programmes for start-ups: a fixed-term, cohort-based program with two 90-day cycles a year; a mentorship programme aimed at accelerating growth; and a ‘Demo Day’ where companies make pitches to investors. The new iAccel GBI programme will help IA to expand its operations and support more start-ups in the Gulf region.

It is the only GAN partnered, mentorship-driven, program in India. They accept only about 2% of the applications from startups.

The Startup-Accelerator Equation

An accelerator is a program designed to help startups accelerate their growth and success. Accelerators typically provide a range of resources and services to help startups overcome the challenges they face in the early stages of their development.

One of the key ways that an accelerator helps a startup is by providing access to mentorship and expertise. Accelerator programs typically have a network of experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts who can provide guidance and support to startups. These mentors can offer valuable insights and advice on topics such as product development, marketing, fundraising, and scaling.

Another way that accelerators help startups is by providing access to funding. Many accelerators offer seed funding or access to investors who are interested in funding early-stage startups. This can be critical for startups that are struggling to raise capital and need funding to continue developing their product or service.

Overall, accelerators can be incredibly valuable for startups, providing them with the support, resources, and expertise they need to succeed in the early stages of their development.