Microsoft on Thursday launched its 'Startups Founders Hub' in India to support founders at every stage of their journey with access to more than $300,000 in benefits.Startups in the country will also be able to gain mentorship and skilling opportunities with industry experts and 'Microsoft Learn' initiative.The company said that the Hub is available to all startups in India, including those without third-party validation or funding."As a platform company, our cloud services and solutions are designed to empower founders to concentrate on what they do best - innovate at their own pace," said Sangeeta Bavi, Director-Startup Ecosystem, Microsoft India.Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub has been created following extensive research and conversations with hundreds of founders who explicitly shared their need for access to a digital ecosystem.
"We look forward to how our new offering will support more founders in Asia and provide access to the technology, tools, and resources they need to build and run their business," Bavi added.As the third largest ecosystem for startups in the world, India is home to nearly 100 unicorns with a total valuation of over $320 billion.To date, the country has close to 67,000 startups that are officially recognised by the Department for Promotion and Internal Trade.Microsoft is also partnering with companies like OpenAI, a global leader in AI research and deployment, that develops AI systems to provide startups with exclusive benefits and discounts.The Hub is designed specifically for early-stage startups to lower the barriers of business creation, said Microsoft.