Microsoft India launched two new programmes for Indian startups. The Microsoft AI Innovate programme, which is curated for AI entrepreneurs, is now in its second season, and the second cohort has been announced. They also launched a hackathon to give developers the tools and resources needed to help businesses create digital solutions that “encourage commercial innovation, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability.”
AI Innovate programme
Software as a service (SaaS) firms whose main apps or services are built utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology are invited to apply for the second season of Microsoft AI Innovate.
Startups will work with Microsoft’s development and product teams to design AI models over the 10-week programme. In addition, startups can work on important scenarios with Microsoft specialists for coaching and qualification.
Last month, the first cohort of 16 firms from the financial, manufacturing, and logistics industries graduated.
The Hackathon
The startup hackathon, which is being held in collaboration with Techgig, will invite teams to develop their ideas into prototypes that are built on Microsoft Azure. Azure masterclasses and hands-on training on technologies such as serverless, Kubernetes, Data Fundamentals, Java &.NET, Github, and Azure AI & ML will be delivered to startups. The top 100 finalists will get $ 300 in Azure credits to use toward the creation of a prototype. The top three teams will receive prizes, and the top 25 startups will be considered for the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub programme.
Microsoft is cooperating with firms like OpenAI, which creates AI systems like GPT-3 and Codex, to offer perks and savings to entrepreneurs. Microsoft Learn is also available to startups for training.
