EU-based startups head to India to showcase innovation, build strategic network

Next week 20 high-impact and unique tech startups (Series-A funded) from Europe are on their way to India to explore, enter and scale-up in the market here. They are coming for the first in-country flagship event Blue Carpet Night, hosted by EU-India InnoCenter in Bengaluru. On November 15, this event will showcase European Innovation.

These startups are coming under the EU-India InnoCenter, an initiative which has been funded by the European Union’s (EU) research and innovation framework programme Horizon 2020.

The Ambassador of the European Union to India Ugo Astuto will open (virtually) the meet, which will facilitate a strategic networking platform for the startups and to converge with the Indian industries and ecosystem players.  Besides showcasing their technologies and products they will get an opportunity to talk about their plans to scale up in the Indian market.

In the last six months 100+ European startups have undergone screening by the EU-India InnoCenter and at the end of the process ten Startups in the present cohort are coming to build a strategic network in the Indian Innovation Ecosystem.

According to an official statement from the EU, the focus of the visit of these start-ups is going to be on deep-tech, logistics, mobility and sustainability-tech, which is expected to further enhance the emerging tech talent pool and also help in diversifying the technology outlook in the country.

Through the mentor guidance programmes, these startups which already have operations in Europe have finessed the understanding of the Indian market. The combination of European R&D with Indian government investment according to the statement will help not just the Indian market, but also deepen innovation and collaboration among the Indian Industrial ecosystem and European startups.

Since EU is considered to be one of India’s largest trading partners, and foreign investors, the forthcoming visit will give the startups an opportunity to explore the Indian market and to validate their offering. Also, while collaborating with the Indian stakeholders they will get a chance to learn about sector-specific regulations and opportunities.

Which startups are coming?

Those coming include: EnvoPAP, Proglove, Cast AI, Loop, QANplatform, TokenMe, Cheesecake Energy, AgeVolt, Volektra, and Echion Technologies.

Companies like Cast.ai, Cheesecake Energy, Proglove, and Echion among others are all set to accelerate in the Indian market in the next 6-18 months.

Under the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), during the trip some of these startups will also interact at the Bengaluru Tech Summit and will showcase how these technologies will help harness the whole potential of the mission.

As India-EU relations celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relationship, according to Ambassador Ugo Astuto the first Blue Carpet Night will facilitate an exchange of high-impact technologies and will extend support in transitioning towards a digital, green, and resilient future.

According to the statement, the EU-India InnocCenter has till date matched 40 plus European Scaleups with 280 plus Indian companies and several India based MNCs including ITC Limited, Reliance, Mahindra, Adani Ports and Logistics, and others.

Adding, EU-India InnoCenter’s Programme Head, Juliane Frömmter, is recognised as 40 under 40 Europe India Leader by EICI and he has built Internationalisation Programmes for T-Hub Foundation.