Why Cisco LaunchPad’s Cohort 7 could be the gateway to your next phase of growth

While Indian tech and tech-enabled startups are doing their best to ensure the country’s growth story doesn’t suffer a severe setback due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the need to innovate and venture into uncharted waters has gained paramount importance.

In fact, results from a NASSCOM survey titled Start-Up Pulse Survey – Q1 2020: Reviving The Indian Tech Start-Up Engine During COVID-19, observed that about 50 percent, of the respondents enhanced their focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud Technology. The survey also noted that an ecosystem was needed to help drive collaboration and market access.

So, if you are a tech or a tech-enabled startup, now’s the time to cash in on the ever-growing importance of innovations by collaborating with big, marquee names in the technology ecosystem.

Ever since its inception in 2016, Cisco startup accelerator program Cisco LaunchPad has been propelling deeptech B2B startups working in disruptive technologies. The company is now calling for applications for its 7th cohort, which will help startups not only to scale, but also explore mutual synergies and potential joint GTM opportunities. Firms that are complementary to Cisco’s Product Line, have compelling value propositions and the ability to scale up can take up this opportunity to drive their growth story. Applications for the seventh cohort began on August 10, 2020 and early to growth-stage technology and technology-enabled B2B/B2B2C startups are welcome to apply.

You can apply for the cohort here.

Cisco LaunchPad, helps you explore mutual synergy across three key focus areas — Enterprise Technology, IoT and Digitisation, and Futuristic Tech, revolving around core technologies such as Networking, Collaboration, IoT, Data Center, Cloud, Security, Mobility and Analytics (data/image/video).

Incepted just four years ago, it has accelerated six successful cohorts that saw 47 startups being a part of the program. The program is sector agnostic and open to both bootstrapped and funded startups.

What’s on offer?

The program offers an immersive experience working along with Cisco’s Engineering and Sales teams to help scale up startups journeys, coupled with business mentorship and ecosystem connects.

• PoC / Joint GTM: Cisco has been able to do PoCs and Joint GTMs with 31 startups; 5 of whom have already become global solutions partners.
• Investor Connects: Across six cohorts, Cisco LaunchPad has helped startups raise $54 million in follow-on funding, after companies were onboarded here.
• Mentorship: Leverage the core expertise and vast pool of subject matter experts who are associated with Cisco for long.
• Tech Platform & Support: Team up with Cisco for deployment of tech and tech solutions with applications across fields of healthcare etc. For instance, CloudPhysician had a joint proposition of RADAR and Cisco Meraki solution deployed at COVID-19 field hospitals.
• Global Exposure: Startups from the previous cohorts have been showcased at premier global events such Cisco Live US 2019, Cisco Live EMEA 2020. A chance to be associated with a global tech giant that was recently featured in the MIT Sloan Management Review.

Are you eligible?

To apply for cohort 7, startups need to meet these criteria:

A. Early and growth stage technology and technology-enabled B2B/B2B2C startups

B. Core focus areas: Enterprise tech, IoT and digitization and futuristic rech.

C. Relevant Technologies: Networking, collaboration, IoT, data center, cloud, security, mobility, analytics (Video/data/image)

D. Startups with customer traction and looking to scale up are preferred

The big day

Apart from these, you’ll be a part of an elite alumni and showcase your startup at its Showcase Day at the end of the cohort. Cisco LaunchPad’s Cohort 6 Showcase Day, on August 10, 2020, exhibited businesses that dealt with a diverse range of products and services, from data privacy and security with Artificial Intelligence (AI), to the digitization of distribution grids and multilingual voice bots for support. The virtual event featured five graduating startups from Cohort 6, which were: SatSure, Eder Labs, Vernacular.ai, Probus Sense and Clean Slate Technologies.

So, if you think you fit the bill or vice versa, waste no time and register for the next cohort and kickstart your startup’s next phase of exponential growth.