91Springboard joins hands with Google for Startups to launch “Level Up”

• New virtual programme that will help women entrepreneurs take their startups to the next level
• Unique nationwide accelerator that combines leadership and tech masterclasses, business mentoring and investment readiness

India, September 2022: 91Springboard, one of India’s leading coworking community, collaborates with Google For Startups (GFS) to launch “Level Up” – a nationwide virtual accelerator program that aims to enable women entrepreneurs in India to elevate their startups to the next level. Combining key elements of business, tech, leadership and investment readiness, this accelerator program offers mentoring, masterclasses, connections and relevant tools for women entrepreneurs to refine their models, enhance their leadership skills and prepare them to get investment ready in order to grow their businesses and gain access to capital.

Level Up aims to address the hurdles women entrepreneurs face by creating opportunities for personal and business growth, providing greater visibility and a national platform, and improving access to capital through investor connections. The program is specially designed to support women entrepreneurs, who are looking for access to reliable mentorship, peer groups and other business related support.

Anand Vemuri, CEO, 91Springboard said, “We are very excited to collaborate with Google for Startups in launching the Level Up program in India. 91Springboard has always believed in nurturing the startup ecosystem and fostering growth through ample learning opportunities. We believe that sharing global experiences and great work practices are fundamental in the growth and innovation for any sector. More women are launching and running startups but do not have the adequate support system to flourish. Through this effort with Google for Startups we hope to support women entrepreneurs in optimizing their businesses and building successful startups."

Mike Kim, Head of Google for Startups APAC said, “At Google for Startups, our constant endeavor is to support diversity in the startup ecosystem. We have already launched an India Women Founders program and with this association, we are looking to scale our efforts to support more women founders. We are excited to be a part of the journey and bring Google’s international support, connections and network to this program.”

While the Covid-19 pandemic hit startups hard - with 35% of women-led startups experiencing a significant decline in revenues - things are starting to turn around. While fundraising continues being an uphill task for women entrepreneurs in India, despite reports of investors’ focus and growing interest in empowering women entrepreneurs, YourStory Research data* reveal that in Q1 2022, of the 482 funding deals in the Indian startup ecosystem, only 78 were raised by women-founded and co-founded startups, i.e. 16.18 percent.  Access to expert mentorship, connections, and opportunity can create a level playing field for women entrepreneurs to flourish and grow.

Launch Date: 17 August 2022

Entry: Early stage, women-led, tech and/or tech enabled enterprises operating in India Startups will need to fill the detailed application form. Once the initial criteria have been met, an expert panel will evaluate the applications based on a robust scoring system

About 91Springboard:

91Springboard is a co-working space focused on building workplace communities that fosters

joy, learning, and exchange of knowledge amongst its variety of members. It was one of the

Incubators supported under the Atal Innovation Mission run by Niti Aayog. With 25,000

Working professionals engaged, it aims to inject the country’s robust business ecosystem with

fully functional workspaces that reflect a unique collaborative spirit. Having established its first

dedicated co-working space in Delhi in 2012, 91springboard currently has 24 live hubs, spread

across India’s premier cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Navi Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Noida, Pune and Goa. With its objective of creating a work culture that shares and learns from each other, 91Springboard promotes the exchange of ideas, innovation, and skills by providing a collaborative environment that inspires both personal and professional growth.

About Google for Startups:

Google for Startups is a Google initiative to help startups thrive across the world. Google for

Startups runs programs, shares resources, builds Campuses, and supports a global network of

leading tech hubs, accelerators, and diversity-focused organizations in the world's fastest growing markets. Google for Startups is Google’s initiative to help startups thrive across every corner of the world. We bring the best of Google's products, connections, and best practices to enable startups to build something better.