NetApp Excellerator Cohort-14 Demo Day Showcases India’s Deep-Tech Startups Driving AI and Cloud Innovation

NetApp, the Intelligent Data Infrastructure company, today hosted the Demo Day for the 14th cohort of its flagship accelerator program – NetApp Excellerator. The event brought together some of the most promising deep-tech startups working at the intersection of AI, data, and cloud. The event showcased how the selected startups are redefining possibilities in enterprise technology, responsible AI, and digital infrastructure.

The Demo Day marked the culmination of an intensive, mentorship-driven journey for Synthefy, Filo Systems, TrueFoundry, Sentra, and Genloop.ai — five innovative startups that were part of the current cohort. Over the past few months, these startups worked closely with NetApp’s global leadership and technology experts to fine-tune their solutions, build scalable go-to-market models, and explore proof-of-concept (PoC) opportunities with NetApp customers and partners.

“Through NetApp Excellerator, we aim to nurture innovation that has real-world impact — supporting startups building the next generation of data and AI infrastructure. Each cohort reinforces our belief that collaboration between startups and established enterprises can accelerate meaningful change,” said Vasanthi Ramesh, VP & Engineering Head, NetApp India. “As we celebrate another successful Demo Day, we’re proud to see how these founders are pushing boundaries and strengthening India’s position as a global innovation hub.”

Speaking about the impact of the program, Anuraag Gutgutia, COO, Co-Founder, TrueFoundry, shared, “NetApp Excellerator has been instrumental in refining our platform which will help us scale our business vision. The mentorship, technical guidance, and access to NetApp’s network with real business value delivered, helped us accelerate faster than we imagined while building for global markets with confidence.”

Since its inception in 2017, NetApp Excellerator has emerged as one of India’s leading corporate accelerator programs, dedicated to empowering deep-tech and AI-led startups. To date, the program has accelerated 90 startups over eight years and 13 cohorts. Its alumni have collectively raised over USD 600 million, and eight startups have achieved successful exits. Recognized among the top five accelerator programs in India for corporate innovation by the NexTT Awards, NetApp Excellerator continues to play a pivotal role in building innovation-driven businesses.

As the Demo Day for Cohort 14 concluded, the spotlight was on collaboration, responsible innovation, and the power of India’s deep-tech ecosystem to drive future-ready solutions. With each new cohort, NetApp continues to strengthen its mission to empower startups that are building for scale, sustainability, and global relevance.

About NetApp

For more than three decades, NetApp has helped the world’s leading organizations navigate change – from the rise of enterprise storage to the intelligent era defined by data and AI. Today, NetApp is the Intelligent Data Infrastructure company, helping customers turn data into a catalyst for innovation, resilience, and growth.

At the heart of that infrastructure is the NetApp data platform – the unified, enterprise-grade, intelligent foundation that connects, protects, and activates data across every cloud, workload, and environment. Built on the proven power of NetApp ONTAP, our leading data management software and OS, and enhanced by automation through the AI Data Engine and AFX, it delivers observability, resilience, and intelligence at scale.

Disaggregated by design, the NetApp data platform separates storage, services, and control so enterprises can modernize faster, scale efficiently, and innovate without lock-in. As the only enterprise storage platform natively embedded in the world’s largest clouds, it gives organizations the freedom to run any workload anywhere with consistent performance, governance, and protection.

With NetApp, data is always ready – ready to defend against threats, ready to power AI, and ready to drive the next breakthrough. That’s why the world’s most forward-thinking enterprises trust NetApp to turn intelligence into advantage.

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

NetApp, NASSCOM Foundation Join Forces to Bridge AI Talent Gap with New Skilling Program

George Kurian, CEO, NetApp and Rostow Ravanan, Chairperson, Nasscom Foundation

Recognizing India’s pivotal role in the global AI economy, NetApp®, the Intelligent Data Infrastructure company, today announced a multi-year partnership with the Nasscom Foundation to launch a skilling program in AI in Data Science. Furthering its commitment to promoting Data Science and AI Education, the initiative was unveiled in Bengaluru in the presence of George Kurian, CEO, NetApp and Rostow Ravanan, Chairperson, Nasscom Foundation.

The program is designed to prepare the next generation of technology talent from underserved communities by equipping them with in-demand skills in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. In its first phase, engineering graduates from resource-constrained communities across the states of Karnataka and Delhi will be trained through a comprehensive curriculum that blends technical expertise with workplace readiness and industry exposure.

Our partnership with Nasscom Foundation reflects our shared vision of building a future-ready workforce. We are meeting the evolving needs of the digital economy by co-creating industry-relevant curricula. This helps not only in nurturing AI talent at scale but also strengthening Nasscom Foundation’s skilling ecosystem, said Vasanthi Ramesh, Vice President of Engineering and Site Leader, NetApp India.

Participants will undertake 120 hours of technical training in Python, data analytics, machine learning, and deep learning, complemented by NetApp-curated sessions on Kubernetes, persistent storage, and AI infrastructure. Beyond technical skills, the initiative will also deliver 60 hours of soft skills development, including communication, teamwork, and career guidance, to enable graduates to be job-ready. Industry-recognized certifications and job placement support will further enhance employability, with a target of placing nearly 70 percent of the cohort in technology roles.

“The growing demand for AI and Data Science professionals is reshaping the future of work,” said Mr. Rostow Ravanan, Chairperson, Nasscom Foundation. “To meet this transformation head-on, it is vital to bridge the opportunity gap by ensuring equitable access to continuous, industry-aligned skilling. Our collaboration with NetApp reflects this vision where we are empowering youth, especially women from underserved communities, with the digital, AI, and data capabilities needed to thrive in an inclusive and future-ready economy.”

The skilling program launched by NetApp and Nasscom Foundation furthers India’s ambition to be a global hub for AI talent by addressing a critical gap: the need for skilled, ethical, and job-ready professionals. Through rigorous technical training combined with real-world exposure, the initiative will create pathways into meaningful technology careers and broaden inclusion in the digital economy.

About Nasscom Foundation:

Established in 2001, Nasscom Foundation has been witness to the transformative power of technology for over two decades. Part of the Nasscom ecosystem, we are a neutral not-for-profit organization representing the Indian tech industry. We remain rooted to our core philosophy of TechForGood, where our efforts are focused on unlocking the power of technology by creating access and opportunity for those who need it the most. We work on helping people and institutions transform the way they tackle social and economic challenges through technology. We have five key areas of intervention – Digital Literacy, Skilling and Employability, Women Entrepreneurship, Scaling Social Innovation and Empowering NGO Ecosystem.

About NetApp

For more than three decades, NetApp has helped the world’s leading organizations navigate change – from the rise of enterprise storage to the intelligent era defined by data and AI. Today, NetApp is the Intelligent Data Infrastructure company, helping customers turn data into a catalyst for innovation, resilience, and growth.

At the heart of that infrastructure is the NetApp data platform – the unified, enterprise-grade, intelligent foundation that connects, protects, and activates data across every cloud, workload, and environment. Built on the proven power of NetApp ONTAP, our leading data management software and OS, and enhanced by automation through the AI Data Engine and AFX, it delivers observability, resilience, and intelligence at scale.

Disaggregated by design, the NetApp data platform separates storage, services, and control so enterprises can modernize faster, scale efficiently, and innovate without lock-in. As the only enterprise storage platform natively embedded in the world’s largest clouds, it gives organizations the freedom to run any workload anywhere with consistent performance, governance, and protection.

With NetApp, data is always ready – ready to defend against threats, ready to power AI, and ready to drive the next breakthrough. That’s why the world’s most forward-thinking enterprises trust NetApp to turn intelligence into advantage.

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

NetApp Strengthens Leadership with Appointment of Kiran Sukhtankar as Director for Systems Engineering for India/SAARC

NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), NetApp, the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced the appointment of Kiran Sukhtankar as Director, Systems Engineering for India/SAARC. In this role, Kiran will lead NetApp’s systems engineering strategy across the region, driving technical engagement and innovation with customers and partners. This strategic appointment reflects NetApp’s continued commitment to empowering customers with innovative, data-driven solutions and world-class technical expertise.

A seasoned technology leader, Kiran brings over 30 years of rich experience in the IT and software industry, with a strong track record in pre-sales leadership across India, APAC, and EU markets. He has held key roles at global technology leaders such as IBM, Veritas, Symantec, Hitachi, and Oracle. Most recently, he led Presales for Veritas/Cohesity, where he was instrumental in solving complex Data Management and Security challenges for enterprise clients.

“We are excited to welcome Kiran to NetApp at a time when data, cloud, and AI are converging to redefine business innovation,” said Puneet Gupta, Managing Director & Vice President, NetApp India/SAARC. “Kiran’s deep expertise and customer-centric mindset will play a pivotal role in accelerating our momentum as a trusted partner for hybrid cloud and next-generation data infrastructure solutions.”

Kiran is known for his strategic vision, team-building capabilities, and passion for delivering high-impact customer solutions. With a strong understanding of the region’s evolving technology landscape, he will play a pivotal role in driving NetApp’s growth and engagement with enterprise and public sector customers.

“I am excited to be part of NetApp’s growth journey in India and SAARC and contribute to its mission of helping organisations unlock the power of their data. The company’s innovation-driven approach and strong partner ecosystem make it a formidable player in the hybrid cloud era. Data lies at the core of every organisation’s transformation, and I look forward to collaborating with our stakeholders to advance NetApp’s mission of turning data-driven visions into reality.” said Kiran Sukhtankar, Director, Systems Engineering for India/SAARC, NetApp.

Kiran’s appointment represents a significant step in strengthening NetApp’s leadership in the region and underscores the company’s ongoing focus on driving innovation and enabling long-term customer success.

From Cloud Security to Custom LLMs: NetApp’s Cohort 14 Powers AI’s Boldest Leap Yet

• 90 startups now benefit from this flagship program
• 29 POCs executed by participant startups

NetApp, the intelligent data infrastructure company, kicked off a new chapter in innovation with the launch of Cohort 14 of its flagship startup accelerator program - NetApp Excellerator. The cohort reflects the growing influence of AI in business, featuring five high-potential startups—from pre-seed to Series B funded, focused on cutting-edge innovations in AI infrastructure and allied offerings.

The five startups that form Cohort 14 include: Synthefy, Filo Systems, Sentra, TrueFoundry, and Genloop.ai. The startups were chosen for their works across areas including customisable LLMs, cloud security, multi-modal generative AI models, and more. The startups from Israel and the USA demonstrate India’s mettle as a global hub of innovation and its leadership in advanced technologies.

The participating startups bring to the table a range of innovative solutions that support the growth of AI infrastructure. Synthefy develops advanced algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning models, including the world's first foundation model for multi-modal time series data. Filo Systems’ offerings are designed to optimise storage and bandwidth usage, while Genloop.ai enables rapid deployment of LLMs, transforming proprietary data into tailored AI solutions.

Speaking on the launch of the cohort, Vasanthi Ramesh, Managing Director, NetApp India, said, "We're excited to welcome and partner with startups that are building transformative solutions using advanced technologies. The maturity stage and the focus area of each of the participating startups reflect our ongoing commitment to innovation with AI. Through the program, we offer resources, mentorship, and technological expertise they need to scale. I am looking forward to the collaborative success and witnessing how these AI-focused startups will shape the future of tech on a global stage."

The NetApp Excellerator program was launched in 2017 and has evolved to become one of the most sought-after accelerator programs in the country. Alumni from the program have collectively raised over $600Mn, out of which $25Mn was raised in the last three months alone - serving as a testament to the success of the program.

Talking about the expectation from the program, Yoav Regev, CEO, Sentra, said, "As organisations rapidly adopt AI, the need for intelligent, scalable, and privacy-first security is pivotal. We see this program as an incredible opportunity to combine forces, deepen our technology, provide better solutions to our customers, and help global organisations safeguard what matters the most: their data. And we are excited that we are partnering with a leader in the space that shares our vision!”

The program, recognised as one of the top five accelerator programs in India for corporate innovation by NexTT Awards, includes a proof-of-concept (PoC) model that allows entrepreneurs to demonstrate the effectiveness of their solutions in the real world. In collaboration with NetApp, the startups refine their minimum viable products (MVPs) and identify new use cases. This information is then used to develop their go-to-market strategies.

For more information or to apply, please visit http://startup.netapp.in/ and follow #NetAppExcellerator on social media at @NetAppIndia

NetApp Excellerator Cohort 14 startups, at a glance:

S.No.	Startup	Focus Area	Website	Brief Description
1	Synthefy	advanced algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning models	https://www.synthefy.com/	Synthefy develops advanced algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning models, including the "world's first foundation model for multi-modal time series data?. Their GenAI technology allows customers to unlock insights from their time series data. They synthesize a digital twin for a network based on application traffic types, network topology, cell location, and system logs.
2	Filo Systems	Data compression technology	https://www.filo.systems/	Filo Systems offerings are designed to optimise storage and bandwidth usage. Their flagship product offers a high-performance compression engine that significantly reduces data size, improving download speeds and network efficiency. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Filo Systems helps businesses lower operational costs, accelerate data transfers, and enhance overall system performance.
3	Sentra	Cloud security	https://www.sentra.io/	Sentra employs advanced ML techniques for autonomous classification of both structured and unstructured data, ensuring accurate identification and management of sensitive information across diverse environments, including cloud and on-premises systems.
4	TrueFoundry	ML training and deployment	https://www.truefoundry.com/	TrueFoundry provides a cloud-native Platform as a Service designed for machine learning teams to build, deploy, and manage ML and LLM applications on their own cloud or on-premises infrastructure, offering significant scalability and cost efficiency
5	Genloop.ai	Customised LLMs	https://genloop.ai/	Genloop.ai?s platform enables rapid deployment of LLMs, transforming proprietary data into tailored AI solutions while ensuring 100% data privacy through secure ingestion and automated data cleaning.

HCLTech Partners NetApp To Launch Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Solution

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, has announced the launch of an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) solution in partnership with NetApp.
This collaboration aims to enable enterprises in the semiconductor industry to accelerate large EDA implementations in the hybrid cloud. The solution is designed to significantly reduce time-to-market, enhance overall quality, and improve the reliability of their products.

With this joint offering, clients can leverage NetApp's Design Anywhere solution to streamline the entire semiconductor design process, from concept to manufacturing, with improved scalability and flexibility. Enterprises can harness the power of the hybrid cloud to efficiently manage growing data volume and workflow complexities.

HCLTech will support clients running large EDA projects by optimizing their IT environments, managing infrastructure orchestration, and scheduling for EDA workloads along with associated services. The EDA solution will be delivered in various consumption models as per client requirements in partnership with NetApp.

This collaboration represents a significant step forward in unlocking the potential of hybrid and multi-cloud environments for enterprises, allowing them to transform operations and build resilience across their digital businesses. By leveraging the cloud, organizations can run EDA workloads without the risks of overprovisioning or capacity shortfalls, making their product development process more flexible and efficient.

Electronic Design Automation (EDA), also referred to as electronic computer-aided design (ECAD), is a category of software tools for designing electronic systems such as integrated circuits and printed circuit boards. These tools work together in a design flow that chip designers use to design and analyze entire semiconductor chips. Since modern semiconductor chips can have billions of components, EDA tools are essential for their design. Specifically, EDA focuses on integrated circuits (ICs) and plays a crucial role in streamlining the design process, improving efficiency, and ensuring the functionality and reliability of electronic systems.

NetApp Empowers Students From Less-resourced Communities With Data Science Skills

Yesterday, at Christel House School in Bangalore, more than one hundred school children from local elementary and secondary schools were given the unique opportunity to share their data-driven ideas for improving education. They included calling on governments to fund more computer labs in schools, dedicated curriculum time to learning about mental health issues and focusing on skills development so that students feel prepared to enter the job market.

The event was hosted by NetApp, a global, cloud-led, data-centric software company, the India STEM Foundation, and World’s Largest Lesson, an education program run by Project Everyone working in partnership with UNICEF.

“Education must be transformed to meet the needs of an ever-changing world,” said Alison Bellwood, Executive Director of World’s Largest Lesson. “Today’s school students have a unique perspective, informed by their COVID-19 experiences and the world they see around them. Our teacher resources this year are designed for students to explore issues around SDG4: Quality Education, using data. If we listen and learn from students, we can find the solutions to make education effective for all.”

During the event, students presented bold ideas informed by local education data to an audience of education leaders, parents, and corporate leaders including Smt. K A Sadhana, Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technical Museum, National Council of Science Museums, Aurelia Ardito, Education Specialist at UNICEF India and Ravi Chhabria, Managing Director of NetApp India.

“COVID-19 presented an urgency as well as a once in a generation opportunity to transform the education system through technology, by implementing it as tool for capacity building, inclusiveness and quality learning, without replacing the essential role of educators. Technology has huge potential for changing how education is delivered in India and can increase access to and quality of learning. STEM and digital skills are becoming increasingly important priorities for UNICEF as critical pathways to advance transformative results, helping young people become skilled in areas critical for the next generation labour force”, UNICEF Education Specialist, Aurelia Ardito.

"Our vision is to empower youngsters to discover and develop critical data science skills, preparing them to thrive in a data-driven world. Our own program ‘Data Explorers’ is designed to reach and engage under-represented youth in less-resourced communities and inspire them to bring about positive change at a social level,” said Ravi Chhabria, Managing Director of NetApp India. “Our partnership with World’s Largest Lesson and India STEM Foundation further broadens our reach bringing more students into the education conversation and data-driven world.”

The students’ ideas and data insights were generated in school workshops using the Fact-ivist Lesson delivered by India STEM Foundation. This Lesson was developed by World’s Largest Lesson and NetApp as part of this year’s campaign. Literacy rates, school infrastructure and access to computer labs are among the issues students are exploring.

World’s Largest Lesson and NetApp are inviting all students in India aged 10-18 to share their ideas for transforming education so that their voices can be represented in a global survey of students called the Transforming Education Survey. In 2023 the results will be shared in a report co-authored by children.

About World’s Largest Lesson

World’s Largest Lesson is committed to introducing children to the Sustainable Development Goals at school and giving students a voice to drive change. World’s Largest Lesson is delivered in partnership with UNICEF, with the support of UNESCO, along with many other NGOs, private sector organizations and foundations. Learn more at https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org

About NetApp and Data Explorers

NetApp is a global, cloud-led, data-centric software company that empowers organizations to lead with data in the age of accelerated digital transformation. The company provides systems, software and cloud services that enable them to run their applications optimally from the data center to cloud, whether they are developing in the cloud, moving to the cloud, or creating their own cloudlike experiences on-premises. With solutions that perform across diverse environments, NetApp helps organizations build their own data fabric and securely deliver the right data, services, and applications to the right people—anytime, anywhere.

Learn more at www.netapp.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

NetApp Data Explorers is a student learning journey filled with exploration, investigation, and problem solving with social issue data. Learn more about Data Explorers.

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

About the Partnership

This year the World’s Largest Lesson is joining forces with NetApp to empower children to act for education (SDG 4) using the power of data.

About the Transforming Education Survey

World’s Largest Lesson worked with Play Verto, experts in designing playful interactive data experiences, in the creation of the Transforming Education Survey. The survey is available to play both online and offline and is for children aged 10 and above. A report on the findings, co-authored by children, will be published in March 2023.

About the Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs)

The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and signed by all 193 member states. They are intended to be achieved by 2030.

About Global Goal 4: Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4 is about quality education and is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in September 2015. The full title of SDG 4 is "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all".

NetApp Overhauls Global Sales Organization to Accelerate Cloud-Led Growth

Business Wire India

Less than a year after joining global software leader NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) as its President, César Cernuda has announced changes to the go-to-market (GTM) model and global sales organization that will help steer the company into its cloud-led future.

 

Cernuda is instituting a customer- and partner-centric strategic and operational evolution that will allow NetApp to move to a customer engagement model focused on driving deeper specialization and delivering hybrid cloud expertise powered by digitization. The changes will see the company ramp up its efforts to drive consistency and simplicity across its global sales organization and more aggressively address key markets and segments while reaching new customers and partners.

 

“With today’s relentless pace of change, speed is the new scale. And that’s what organizations are demanding as they try to put their data to work to keep innovating and stay ahead of the digital curve,” said César Cernuda. “We are implementing these changes to better serve their needs. We will soon deliver a personalized, data-driven engagement model that allows our current and future customers to move at warp speed and aligns with the new way they want to engage with their solution partners.”

 

The evolution of NetApp’s sales organization will also result in changes and additions to the sales leadership team, effective May 1, 2021:

 

• NetApp veteran and former SVP, Globals, Verticals, and Pathways, Rick Scurfield will serve in the company’s newly established role of Chief Commercial Officer. Scurfield will be responsible for building a new GTM motion and strategy including direct sales and channel coverage and will drive the transformation of NetApp’s digital and virtual sales teams and Sales Operations to better enable NetApp’s sales force and worldwide partnerships. Scurfield has led winning sales organizations for more than 20 years, most recently growing and leading sales teams supporting NetApp’s largest global accounts, vertical segments, global pathways, and the U.S. Public Sector.
• Max Long, former SVP, Chief Customer Officer at Adobe, will be joining NetApp as the company’s new SVP, North America. Leveraging his 30+ years of experience building high-performance sales teams and leading business transformations. Long will continue the focus on aligning NetApp’s business objectives in the U.S. and Canada driven by our customer’s business requirements. He will lead direct sales, channel sales, and demand generation teams.
• Alex Wallner, also a NetApp veteran who most recently served as SVP, Worldwide Enterprise and Commercial Field Operations, will take on the newly created role of SVP, International. Wallner will lead the execution of all GTM activities for the EMEA, APAC and Latin America regions. Focusing on increasing the footprint of NetApp as the partner-of-choice for our international customers, he and his team will help customers address their data challenges with hybrid multi-cloud solutions including NetApp’s data center architectures and superior cloud software portfolio.

 

“Rick’s and Alex’s proven leadership and in-depth knowledge of our industry, our customers and our partners combined with Max’s track record of leading enterprise sales teams to success at scale will be instrumental in helping organizations everywhere unlock the best of today’s hybrid multi-cloud world, wherever they are on their digital transformation journey—on premises or in any cloud,” added Cernuda.

 

The evolution of the NetApp data-driven GTM model and cloud-led sales organization is expected to be a continuous process starting in Q1 FY22.

 

About NetApp

 

NetApp is a global cloud-led, data-centric software company that empowers organizations to lead with data in the age of accelerated digital transformation. The company provides systems, software and cloud services that enable them to run their applications optimally from data center to cloud, whether they are developing in the cloud, moving to the cloud, or creating their own cloudlike experiences on premises. With solutions that perform across diverse environments, NetApp helps organizations build their own data fabric and securely deliver the right data, services and applications to the right people—anytime, anywhere. Learn more at www.netapp.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

 

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc.

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005711/en/

The NetApp Excellerator Program Rocket-Fuels B2B Tech Startup Ecosystem With Cohort Five

NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP), the leader in cloud data services, today announced the graduation of its fifth cohort as a part of the NetApp Excellerator demo day. NetApp Excellerator is the company's flagship startup accelerator program. On this occasion, five technology startups, CloudSEK, Senseforth.ai, Lightwing, Coralogix and Curl Analytics, showcased their technology impact and market opportunity to an eminent audience comprising of venture capitalists, industry leaders and the NetApp leadership team.

The program has so far mentored 29 B2B technology startups through five cohorts and has evolved to focus on a sponsored proof-of-concept (PoC) model. The PoC model gives the startups a platform to prove the potential of their solutions in the real-world. The startups and NetApp explore technology adjacencies to go to market together and help create technology that changes the world with data. All five startups are engaged in PoCs with NetApp.

The pitch presentations made by the entrepreneurs at the demo day saw innovations in the space of AI, machine learning-powered log analytics, conversational AI, intelligent automation and digital risk management. These startups have been extensively mentored to strengthen their technology solutions and product market fit while also enhancing the overall user experience. This is already creating significant business impact for their clients through solving challenges related to unstructured data, big data, customer support, reduction of cloud costs and cybersecurity.

"The fifth cohort marked the launch of an evolved model where the startups built paid PoCs, which will give them stronger go-to-market opportunities and drive exponential growth. We too have made great strides since our first cohort. Today, we are attracting new-age disruptive companies from around the world," said Madhurima Agarwal, leader, NetApp Excellerator. "We've engaged deeply with 29 pioneering startups, including three who have had successful exits. This is the proof of the value NetApp has added to our alumni, enabling them to create tangible commercial success in terms of funding, customer acquisitions and successful exits."

The program's focus on mature startups and global outlook offers a natural fit for startups from across the world. One such example is Coralogix, an Israel-based startup which is part of this cohort.

"Working with the engineering team at NetApp is delightful," said Lior Redlus, co-founder and CTO of Coralogix. "We found a team of professionals constantly monitoring their systems to make sure they are operating optimally, and eager to understand how Coralogix log analytics can help identify issues faster and reduce time to resolution. We learned about NetApp's technology, and are now evaluating Cloud Volume ONTAP with the innovation team in Israel. We want to work with cutting-edge technology in the cloud."

The strength of the program reflects in the success stories from the previous cohorts. Last year, Adya (first cohort), was acquired by Qualys, a leading provider of cloud-based security and compliance solutions. Similarly, ArchSaber, from the second cohort, and VitaCloud from the first cohort, have also had successful exits. Additionally, SigTuple, Anlyz, FirstHive and others have secured next round of funding.

"We started this program with our own unique outlook as a 27-year-old startup," said Ravi Chhabria, managing director of NetApp India. "We continue to innovate across our ecosystem and these young startups enable our customers to change their world with data. With our deep expertise in data management we are uniquely positioned to help them navigate next-generation technologies to scale up their business. Their ability to disrupt the tech ecosystem and their vision to drive economic growth is inspiring. Our role as an accelerator is to catapult them to achieve success in delivering compelling solutions to meet customers' needs. Most importantly, we offer them our trust and credibility, and that is the basis to build any business relationship with a young company."

NetApp Excellerator is a mentorship-driven startup accelerator focused on creating an impact in the startup ecosystem through association with a small, yet unique set of data-driven B2B tech startups. The NetApp team, in collaboration with industry-renowned external mentors, coaches the startups on cutting-edge technologies, platforms, tools and business acumen. The participating startups get access to investors and NetApp's customer portfolio. They also receive an equity-free grant of $15,000, or a NetApp-sponsored POC.

Registrations for the sixth cohort are open. Data-driven B2B tech product startups with interests in the areas of hybrid cloud, AI, IoT, DevOps, Kubernetes and data management are invited to apply. To know more, please visit http:tartup.netapp.in/ and look us up with #NetAppExcellerator on social media.

NetApp Excellerator cohort five startups at a glance:

1. CloudSEK - AI-Driven Digital Risk Management.


2. Senseforth.ai  -A leading Conversational AI Platform providing automated humanlike conversations between organizations and people.


3. Lightwing - Fully optimized dynamic compute to slash monthly public cloud bills by 70% or more.


4. Coralogix Curl - Coralogix automatically creates component level insights from log data so you can trust your logs to tell you the full story of your system. (from Israel).


5. Analytics - A tech start-up focused on leveraging emerging technologies to develop products and solutions for enterprises.

About NetApp

NetApp is the leader in cloud data services, empowering global organizations to change their world with data. Together with our partners, we are the only ones who can help you build your unique data fabric. Simplify hybrid multicloud and securely deliver the right data, services and applications to the right people at the right time.

CloudSEK is now a part of NetApp’s 5th Cohort of Start-ups

NetApp announced the launch of its fifth cohort of start-ups as part of the NetApp Excellerator, the company’s accelerator program. CloudSEK, an AI-based Digital Risk Management enterprise along with 4 other Data-driven enterprise start-ups were selected so as to be a part of a strategic partnership that develops more effective solutions for their customers.

As part of its previous four cohorts, the NetApp Excellerator program has coached 24 start-ups and they are set to accelerate a new batch of data-driven enterprises.

Apart from CloudSEK, other start-ups that have made it to the fifth cohort are Senseforth.ai, Lightwing, Coralogix and Curl Analytics. The core technology that NetApp is focusing on for this cohort is data.

Hence, all five start-ups, selected to be part of the fifth cohort, work with data. Being a part of the cohort helps CloudSEK not just with the development of its technology but also with the expansion of the organization’s market coverage.

Being a member of NetApp Excellerator’s cohort assures technical and business mentorship, the support to develop products and solutions, permission to use NetApp’s technologies, co-working space if need be along with HR and legal support.

Apart from this unparalleled support, the program helps CloudSEK and the other start-ups connect with potential investors, partners, and customers and sponsor a POC or offer an equity-free grant of $15,000.

 

NetApp to Launch Virtual Open Innovation Platform for Startups in India

In June of last year NetApp Inc., a Fortune 500 American multinational storage and data management company, launched its startup accelerator programmes NetApp Excellerator Programme in India. Now after a year of its launch, the company said that the prpgramme has been so overwhelming that it is launching a new programme that will enable product-ready startups to work with it on an ongoing basis.

NetApp managing director Deepak Visweswaraiah has announced that the company is creating a virtual open innovation platform that the startups can register on and use at any point to get an access to NetApp's go-to-market channels as well as getting help on technical side.

Companies applying need to be in the big data crunching and AI/machine learning spaces. NetApp will look particularly for those focusing on fintech and healthtech.

So far NetApp Excellerator programme has made two cohorts of startups graduated from its programme. Some of the graduates from both of its cohorts could be part of the upcoming open innovation platform.

From the first cohort of NetApp Excellerator Programme, Scalend Technologies, an AI-enabled data discovery and insights platform for financial companies & services, became a NetApp alliance partner, which means the two will take their solutions jointly to market. From the second cohort, three ventures – SigTuple, BlobCity and Nanobi – have become similar alliance partners of NetApp.

To recall, tech giant Google too has recently announced a new 4-month training programme for gaming startups and developers in South-East Asia including India. This new programme from Google will provide an opportunity to work with mentors from Google and the gaming industry.

Additionally, Yes Bank has also announced that it is launching multi sector accelerator program YES SCALE that will offer a 15 week program for startups in the areas of smart city, clean tech, Agritech, Lifesciences tech and education tech.

Source - Times of India

[Top Image - BusinessJournals.com]

NetApp to Launch Virtual Open Innovation Platform for Startups in India

In June of last year NetApp Inc., a Fortune 500 American multinational storage and data management company, launched its startup accelerator programmes NetApp Excellerator Programme in India. Now after a year of its launch, the company said that the prpgramme has been so overwhelming that it is launching a new programme that will enable product-ready startups to work with it on an ongoing basis.

NetApp managing director Deepak Visweswaraiah has announced that the company is creating a virtual open innovation platform that the startups can register on and use at any point to get an access to NetApp's go-to-market channels as well as getting help on technical side.

Companies applying need to be in the big data crunching and AI/machine learning spaces. NetApp will look particularly for those focusing on fintech and healthtech.

So far NetApp Excellerator programme has made two cohorts of startups graduated from its programme. Some of the graduates from both of its cohorts could be part of the upcoming open innovation platform.

From the first cohort of NetApp Excellerator Programme, Scalend Technologies, an AI-enabled data discovery and insights platform for financial companies & services, became a NetApp alliance partner, which means the two will take their solutions jointly to market. From the second cohort, three ventures – SigTuple, BlobCity and Nanobi – have become similar alliance partners of NetApp.

To recall, tech giant Google too has recently announced a new 4-month training programme for gaming startups and developers in South-East Asia including India. This new programme from Google will provide an opportunity to work with mentors from Google and the gaming industry.

Additionally, Yes Bank has also announced that it is launching multi sector accelerator program YES SCALE that will offer a 15 week program for startups in the areas of smart city, clean tech, Agritech, Lifesciences tech and education tech.

Source - Times of India

[Top Image - BusinessJournals.com]

Meet The 6 Startups That Will Join NetApp's First Accelerator Cohort

NetApp, a Fortune 500 American multinational storage, and data management company had announced the launch of the NetApp Excellerator programme in Bengaluru in July 2017. NetApp Excellerator programme is company’s first startup nurturing initiative in India that is designed to help startups create world class products and innovative solutions that are market ready.

The programme which was launched at the new 15-acres NetApp campus has recently taken in six startups as a part of its first startup accelerator cohort. The startups were selected from over 200 applications and will get a $15,000 grant from NetApp.The company has selected startups that have a B2B focus.

Commenting on the development, Ajeya Motaganahalli, Leader NetApp Excellerator Program said, “In India, we have seen there is a lot of stress on B2C. But, we are focused on the B2B space. We believe there is long-term value creation in that space.

The four-month programme will provide selected startups with an equity-free grant of $15,000 after the completion of the programme. Selected startups will receive technology and business mentorship as well as access to markets and investors to realize the full potential of their ideas and products in the global marketplace.

The NetApp Excellerator program will provide startups with access to collaboration and productivity tools, co-working space out of the company’s global centre of excellence in Bengaluru as well as networking opportunities with potential investors, partners, and customers.

Apart from this selected startups will have access to NetApp platforms and technologies, tools, co-working space, HR, marketing, legal and tech support.

NetApp has selected companies which strive to bring in automation and data analytics capabilities across sectors.

Going forward, the company wants to have two cohorts, each year. Startups selected in this cohort include Adya, Lightmetrics, Enclouden, Scalend Technologies, Vaultedge and Vitacloud Digital Health.

Missed Your Startup Updates? Here is Weekly News Roundup for You to Stay Tuned

This week was filled with new launches, renaming of startups, government announcements and how can we forget Google joining 1000 club. So in short, this week was a cheerful one for the startup world. And If you have missed any such happening, not to worry. We at IndianWeb2 brings for our reader a weekly dose of startup world.

Here are 10 news from startup ecosystem which you should not have missed:

A New Incubator for AgriTech Starups

Jindal Stainless Ltd. has formed the collaboration with the Japanese company Future Venture Capital Company Ltd. (FVCCL) to launch an incubation centre for agritech startups in India. The announcement was made at the ‘Krisi Unnati’ event organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Bhubaneswar.

The Agritech Incubator Will Select 5–10 Startups for the first batch.

Israel Calling Women-Led Indian Tech Startups

Embassy of Israel in India has officially launched the fifth edition of the Start TLV Competition in India, on Thursday. The competition is for women-led startups (or at least one co-founder should be a female). In order to provide maximum benefits to all its participants, the Embassy of Israel has joined hands with the Indian government's Startup India programme, TiE-NCR, YES Bank & YES Global Institute and CNBC-TV18. Last day to apply to the competition is July 7th, 2017.

Shocking! An Entrepreneur Receives Notice To Cancel His Firm’s Web Identity

A Delhi-based entrepreneur has received an email by the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) seeking the cancellation of his company’s domain by the name of “Startupindia.in”. NIXI demands the cancellation of the domain as it is “misleading and is in violation with the Startup India program.” This email was sent by NIXI on a request from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) as it is creating a problem for the government who is currently using the “startupindia.gov.in” for its Startup India initiative.

Freshdesk Renames Itself To Freshworks

One of India’s most well-funded and Software as a Service (SaaS) startups, Freshdesk has rebranded itself as Freshworks Inc. It is a new umbrella brand that will bring together the company’s growing suite of business software. Following breakout growth of the company’s customer support software, and the introduction of new products for IT Service Management (ITSM), customer relationship management (CRM) and cloud-based call centers, Freshworks products are designed to help companies better engage and communicate with their customers and employees. Precisely six years after launching Freshdesk, Freshworks has became a SaaS powerhouse with five offices in Chennai, San Bruno, London, Sydney and Berlin.

Google Lovers Here Comes The News Of Google Joining $1,000 Share Club

Alphabet, Google’s parent company has joined $1,000, a share club. And this news comes just six days after e-commerce giant Amazon accomplished the same milestone. The California-based company’s Class-A shares crossed the $1,000 per share threshold and climb as much as 1.13 percent to $1,007.4. The tech giant’s shares have surged by a quarter since the start of 2017. Alphabet’s stock success can be attributed largely to its continued dominance in the search engine market with Google search, and the ad revenue that comes along with it.

Launch Of Accelerator Programme In Bengaluru By NetApp

Us-based storage and data management company, NetApp has launched the NetApp Excellerator programme in Bengaluru. It is the company’s first startup nurturing initiative in India which is designed to help startups create world class products and innovative solutions that are market ready.

The applications, for the four-month programme are invited from startups working in the areas related to IOT, cloud, big data and analytics, machine learning, virtualization, data security, storage and data management, and other adjacent areas. Selected startups will receive technology and business mentorship along with the access to markets and investors.

Airtel Business Rolls Out Digital Platform To Serve SMEs & Startups

Bharti Airtel’s B2B ARM, Airtel Business has launched a dedicated digital platform to serve the growing connectivity, communication and collaboration requirements of emerging businesses, including SMEs and Startups. The platform will offer solutions to emerging enterprises to enable ease of business and faster time to market.

Airtel’s new digital platform will offer connectivity solutions to start with and will be integrated with more solutions periodically. Emerging businesses can now discover and buy connectivity plans in just three easy steps which will eliminates multiple layers of traditional processes to offer a fast and convenient way to identify connectivity solutions.

Good News For Indian Subcontinent. India Leaves China Behind In Ease Of Doing Business

According to the 2017 Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), India has emerged at the top position among 30 developing countries in ease of doing business and what came as a surprise was, India leaving China behind.

Yes, the study, which ranks the top 30 developing countries in the world for retail investment worldwide and analyses 25 macroeconomic and retail-specific variables, explained that India’s stupendous performance on the index can be attributed to relaxation of FDI rules introduced by the central government and a consumption boom being witnessed in the South Asian country. The consumption boom is courtesy the country’s growing middle class and rapidly increasing consumer spending.

Now Entering German Market Becomes Ease For Indian Startups, Here’s How

After the news of India leaving China behind in ease of doing business, here comes the another good news for Indian startups. According to a startup exchange pact, which is likely to designed between Govt of India’s Startup India and German Startup Association, Indian startups may soon get easier access to the German market.

A formal agreement between the two countries is being worked upon and is likely to be signed soon. The agreement will be signed between Startup India and the German Startups Association, which has about 650 startups and 50 partners, including corporate entities and venture capital firms, and coordinates with the United States, China, India and Israel.

Acquisition Time. Product Discovery Platform Shoppist Gets Acquire By Roofpik

Real estate property and broker review platform, Roofpik has acquired product discovery platform, Shoppist. The acquisition will strengthen Roofpik core team and bring personalized property recommendations to its users.

The acquisition was driven by Roofpik’s interest in Shoppist’s use of NLP technology, which helps consumers discover the most relevant products based on their user persona. With this technology, Roofpik will be able to validate reviews and generate meaningful analytics from over 5,000 user reviews that are currently live on the platform.

Israel’s OurCrowd Enters Into Strategic Collaboration With India’s Reliance Private Client

Jerusalem-based equity crowdfunding platform, OurCrowd has entered into a strategic collaboration with India’s Reliance Private Client, in which the Indian wealth management firm will be offering its clients the option of investing in the Israeli company’s funds and startup portfolio.

The agreement between Israel’s OurCrowd and India’s Reliance Private Client will aim to build the former’s presence in the Indian subcontinent. Once this aim is substantially conquered, the equity crowdfunding firm hopes that it will be possible for its portfolio companies to export their products to the Indian market.

Israel To Support Women Entrepreneurs, Launches Start TLV Competition In India

The Embassy of Israel has launched the fifth edition of the Start TLV Competition in India. The competition is a platform to support women entrepreneurs in the country and helping them in accelerating the growth of their startups. In order to provide maximum benefits to all its participants, the Embassy of Israel has joined hands with the Indian government’s Startup India programme, TiE-NCR, YES Bank & YES Global Institute and CNBC-TV18. Last day to apply to the competition is July 7, 2017.

The ‘StartupIndia.in’ website which belongs to Startup India Advisory Services Pvt Ltd was incorporated in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in July 2015. The company, which provides advisory services to tech based entrepreneurs has now even put up a disclaimer on the website stating that it has no relation whatsoever with the Indian government’s Startup India initiative.

NetApp Launches Its First Startup Accelerator in Bengaluru

NetApp Inc., a Fortune 500 American multinational storage and data management company on Wednesday announced the launch of the NetApp Excellerator programme in Bengaluru, the company's first startup nurturing initiative in India.

NetApp Excellerator is a startup accelerator program designed to help startups create world class products and innovative solutions that are market ready.

The programme was launched at the new 15-acres NetApp campus here in the presence of IT expert Mohandas Pai, partners, venture capitalists, startups and customers.

"The tech industry is going through a transformational shift with data right at the centre. Through the NetApp Excellerator programme, we would like to encourage and support start-ups and provide them with an opportunity to graduate to their next phase of growth," said Deepak Visweswaraiah, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, NetApp India, in a statement.

The applications for the four-month programme are now open for startups. NetApp will provide an equity-free grant of $15,000 to the startups after the completion of the programme.

Selected startups will receive technology and business mentorship as well as access to markets and investors to realise the full potential of their ideas and products in the global market place.

Applications are invited from startups working in the areas related to IOT, cloud, big data and analytics, machine learning, virtualization, data security, storage and data management, and other adjacent areas.

The NetApp Excellerator program will provide startups with access to collaboration and productivity tools, co-working space out of the company’s global centre of excellence in Bengaluru as well as networking opportunities with potential investors, partners and customers.

Selected startups will have access to NetApp platforms and technologies, tools, co-working space, HR, marketing, legal and tech support.

“Through the NetApp Excellerator programme, we seek to engage with promising entrepreneurs contributing to diverse set of tech areas,” added Ajeya Motaganahalli, Director, NetApp India.