Microsoft and Accenture expand commitment to support social entrepreneurs

Microsoft, in February 2020, introduced the Global Social Entrepreneurship Program. With it, it aims to empower tech-enabled startups that focus on dealing with social and environmental challenges. The tech giant, under this program, allowed startups to access its breakthrough technology. This includes Microsoft AI, cloud expertise, go-to-market services, grants (in sustainability, accessibility, as well as skills and employability). It then collaborated with Accenture. Both tech giants share a common vision to amplify the societal impact of emerging technology; aiming to reach a million lives globally.

The two companies are now expanding this joint initiative to support startups. They will help startups who focus on solving critical business challenges related to sustainability and skilling. The program that was initially focussed on supporting startups with solutions in the areas of agriculture, education and healthcare. But it will now also include startups with innovative solutions that focus on sustainability and skilling. Microsoft Research India and Accenture Labs will help the startups to test and validate proofs-of-concept, while also conducting design thinking sessions to enable entrepreneurs re-envision the impact their solutions can make.

What did industry leaders have to say?

Lathika Pai, Country Head – Microsoft for Startups, MENA & SAARC, said, “Startups that are working towards social challenges are creating sustainable positive transformation through their innovative tech solutions. Accelerated by the pandemic, social enterprises are reimagining how they can widen the reach and deepen that impact through technology. Thus, our collaboration with Accenture will help startups scale their solutions quickly and drive meaningful and measurable impact.”

Sanjay Podder, MD and Technology Innovation lead for ASIAM, Greater China and Japan at Accenture, added, “Accelerating the achievement of sustainable development goals and addressing the skills gap are areas of critical importance for enterprises across industries. Further, by expanding the focus of our joint initiative to encompass startups that have innovative and disruptive solutions in these areas, we can help scale the impact to improve how people live and work.”

Startups applying for this program are required to have deployed their solutions and have early signs of impact. The first batch of startups that Microsoft and Accenture supported under this program focussed on overcoming challenges in the areas of food safety, livelihood and education. Microsoft and Accenture also helped them with technology resources and mentored them to scale their solutions.

Mansi Mishra, Cybermedia.>