EDUGILD is a Pune based accelerator specifically focused on the EdTech space. EDUGILD offers an extensive 16 weeks mentorship and product realization program for any startup across the world in the EdTech space. Any startup with creative technology based solutions in the field of EdTech will be provided with required infrastructure to operate, seed funding options, access to mentors, SMEs, Institutional Partners and PE & VC Network.
EDUGILD is working with the vision of being a catalyst for creating tech based startups in education space that can provide applications for the future generations.
Creating EDUGILD
The MIT Group of Institutions is a well known name in the education space in India. Dr. Sunil Karad is the Executive Director & Trustee at The MIT Group of Institutions, Pune, India, and in January 2013, came up with a core team to understand how they could make an impact through technology in the education space other than brick and mortar education system. While the team was looking for opportunities, they realized how top universities across the world have accelerators that help startups scale their businesses which also leads to a lot of job creation close to the university.
The MIT Group of Institutions has been working in the education space and has an experience of more than 31 years of operating in this field. This has given the MIT Group a huge amount of knowledge base in the field and also a huge network of mentors, peers and customers who might be interested in EdTech products. Therefore, starting an accelerator in the EdTech seemed like the most logical next step to make the kind of social impact in the education space through technology that Mr. Karad had envisioned.
About EDUGILD
Mr. Rishi Kapal is the CEO of EDUGILD India. EDUGILD plans to empower startups by providing infrastructure, seed funding, access to mentors, SMEs, institutional partners who might be interested in becoming first customers and PE & VC Networks.
Why Pune
After doing a thorough ground work for for 2 years, EDUGILD finally decided to set up base in Pune. “Pune scores extremely well on a number of parameters that impact the EdTech space,” says Rishi.
Pune is home to some of the best educational institutions in India. People who understand EdTech space live in and operate from Pune. Being home to a number of educational intuitions, it gives easy access to “first customers” when it comes to EdTech startups. A number of products in the EdTech space are currently also being tested in educational institutions in Pune. Pune also has a lot of tech talent available which makes it much easier for technology startups to find the right talent.
Being an educational hub, Pune sees talent coming from throughout India to Pune to get some of the best education in the country thereby giving the city a huge diverse talent with different perspectives. The connectivity and vicinity of Pune to Mumbai and the lower cost of living makes the city a hot destination for startups to set up a base.