The Silicon Review ^Asia

Microsoft will start a new social entrepreneur accelerator programme. The announcement was made public on Tuesday and is scheduled to be launched in March this year in India and France.

Dubbed as Microsoft- Ashoka Accelerator, the programme’s main goal behind the launch is to foster and develop an ecosystem comprising of tech-enabled startups which focuses on environmental and social problems. For the new launch, the software giant has joined hands with two bodies: India’s Ashoka Foundation and Simplon.co, a France-based company. 

Microsoft-Ashoka Accelerator will boost the development of high tech and effective solutions for social issues by providing AI, cloud expertise, personalized mentoring and access to sophisticated start-up tech access.

The three partners will target tech startups for introducing new methods and practices, not only to speed up the impact but to change rules on pressing issues in the society.

Anant Maheleshwari, President of Microsoft India stated the company has been a passionate enabler in India. With the new programme, business expertise and tech startups can eliminate the impacts caused on the environment.

According to Frederic Bandeau, Co-Founder and President of Simplon.co, the three partners have different roles; Simplon will work on IT and social entrepreneurship, Ashoka brings entrepreneurs and Microsoft will take care of AI and bring intelligent cloud technology expertise.

The programme will also include Azure credits and connect with local communities and experts and also provide co-selling opportunities. The new programme is a big boost to entrepreneurs and enterprises.