20 Indian start-ups selected for business expansion to London

Twenty Indian start-ups have been chosen to join London Mayor Sadiq Khan`s India Emerging 20 (IE20) business programme which aims to help selected companies in setting up or expanding their business in Britain`s capital. The India Emerging 20 programme which is in its third edition this year was launched by London and Partners, which is the Mayor of London`s official promotional agency, in collaboration with BDO, a major accounting and taxation network, and Lalit Hotels. 

It was set up with the aim to identify some of India`s most ambitious companies that are considering international expansion.  The 20 winners of 2018 were chosen from over 300 applications from some of India`s leading business hubs such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi, London and Partners said in a statement on Friday. 

The winners will have the opportunity to benefit from discounted rates on a London office and tailored expert advice on marketing, access to finance and local market analysis, it added. "London is a truly global business centre and presents lots of opportunities for Indian companies looking to expand their business overseas," said Khan.

"I am delighted that my India Emerging 20 programme is helping some of India`s fastest growing companies with their international growth and London remains open to investment, talent and collaborations with India," he added. Among the winners selected for this year`s programme are Hug Innovations of Hyderabad and Mumbai`s Furtados School of Music. 

Hug Innovations is a wearable tech company developing IoT platforms that allows users to complete tasks including controlling apps, electronics, VR headsets, toys and home automation using just hand gestures.  Furtados School of Music (FSM) is a music education firm with a vision to provide accessible quality music education to all. The company is currently testing a mobile application to bring together people interested in learning music and music teachers. 

The other winners are Appnomic Systems, BiOZEEN, BlackPepper Technologies, Chai Point (Mountain Trail Foods), Happay, Intello Labs, Ittisa Digital Media Services, Senseforth, Chakr Innovation, Dineout/inResto, Fork Media, Lucideus Tech, Morph.ai, Videonetics Technology, Wigzo Technologies, Gaia Smart Cities, Iksula Services and SaffronStays.  In April, India and Britain announced a UK-India Tech Partnership to identify and pair businesses, venture capital, universities and others to provide access routes to markets for British and Indian entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises.

"IE20 is an important element of the UK-India Technology-Partnership which was agreed by our two Prime Ministers in April and formally launched in India last week by Digital and Culture Secretary, Matt Hancock," said Dominic McAllister, British Deputy High Commissioner in Bengaluru.

"The UK and India are global leaders in technology and two of the world`s most innovative countries. The new UK-India Tech Partnership will be testimony to that. A pilot soon to be launched In Karnataka will focus on augmented and virtual reality, advanced materials and artificial intelligence -- technologies which a number of our winners today are already deploying," McAllister added.