Flipkart Leap: An Accelerator Programme Launched To Help Startups Grow

Flipkart, India's homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has announced the launch of Flipkart Leap -- the company's first startup accelerator programme that aims to help new and upcoming startups grow, scale, navigate challenges, and in turn contribute to India's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem while also boosting Indian government's initiative Start-Up India.

Flipkart Leap will identify B2C and B2B startups and help them scale through an intensive 16-week virtual programme. Throughout the programme, leaders from Flipkart's various verticals such as business, operations, and technology will  mentor selected startups.

Flipkart aims to lend global work values to its participants to help them build market-ready solutions.

Flipkart Leap is looking to work with high-potential startups in five domains that include themes such as design & make for India, innovation in digital commerce, technologies to empower the retail ecosystem, supply chain management & logistics and enabling relevant deep tech applications. These themes have been identified to tap into the most innovative solutions in the technology and consumer internet space, uniquely built for Indian consumers.

Goal Oriented

Flipkart Leap aims to focus on bringing digitisation and tech advancement in the thematic areas, including any startups that will have the potential to transform the landscape of e-commerce in the next five years.

Commenting on the launch, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group said, “The journey for Flipkart, from its launch to becoming one of the most-loved homegrown brands, has been a true harbinger of the potential of the startup ecosystem in India. With innovations and disruptions in the field of technology coming about each day, we want to be at the forefront of driving scalability and helping these startups bring value to the industry as well as Indian consumers. “

The programme will focus on bringing innovations even in Tier 2 and 3+ cities, and will provide market- ready startups with an win an equity-free grant of USD 25,000.

India currently has the third largest startup ecosystem in the world, with consistent annual growth of 12-15%, according to industry reports. In fact, as per the report that has been released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, there are two-three tech startups established in India every day.