IBM Global Entrepreneur Program is back with industry-focused Smartcamp Startup Challenges

This announcement is sponsored by IBM

IBM Global Entrepreneur Program’s Startup Challenge IBM India Smartcamp is back this year, and this time they are sector focused. The Smartcamp Challenge this year in four sectors – Fintech, Healthtech, Smart City and Deep Tech.

The recently concluded Fintech challenge was a great success, and the finalists who were amongst the best Fintech companies in the country benefited significantly from their participation. The next big event in the Smartcamp series is going to be in Healthtech.

IBM Global Entrepreneur Program is holding the Smartcamp for Healthtech in association with Manipal Hospitals and THub. The top 10 innovative companies in the Healthtech space in India will be presenting to a panel comprising VCs, IBM execs, and Manipal Hospital execs, who will give the startups feedback on their solution. These companies will also be presenting to enterprise CIOs in the healthcare space, and an audience of 200+ people.

The Smartcamp is open to startups who have been in business for less than five years, and have made innovations in the healthcare sector using Information Technology as a backbone. Applicants have to register for the IBM Global Entrepreneur Program before applying to the Smartcamp.

According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation, the healthcare market in India was worth close to $100 billion as of 2015, and is expected to touch $280 billion by 2020. However, for this growth to happen, the right policy framework and infrastructure has to be in place to support this growth.

India currently spends 4.2 percent of its GDP on healthcare, and only 1 percent is contributed by the government. This means the potential in this sector is phenomenal, with more startups mushrooming in this high-growth space, and deploying pioneering solutions for the healthcare industry.

The IBM Global Entrepreneur Program engages with startups by providing them with cloud credits worth $24,000/year on Softlayer and Bluemix. It also provides technical mentoring, assistance with go to market, and works with accelerators in India. It engages with large enterprises in helping them find their next set of innovations.

Last year, they conducted India’s biggest B2B Startup challenge called IBM India Smartcamp, where they went to nine cities, held three regional finals, and a grand finale. They had 50+ judges who were VCs, IBM Execs and successful Angel investors. There were 60+ CIOs participating as well. The finalists are leveraging the platform to gain customer access or new investments. Sirionlabs, who was the winner for last year secured $12 million funding.

Earlier this year, they conducted a Smartcamp for Fintech startups in association with Edelweiss, where some of the best innovators in the Fintech space participated and gained benefits like customer leads, media exposure, as well as investment opportunities from VCs.

Following the Smartcamp for Healthtech challenge, there will be a Nationwide Challenge for Smart Cities and Deep Tech as well. In Smart Cities, startups that have been in business in less than five years with innovations around Energy and Utility, Transportation, Sanitation, Water, Agriculture, Safety and Surveillance, Citizen Engagement by leveraging Information Technology can apply.

In Deep Tech, startups with innovative solutions around IoT, Big Data & Analytics, Security, Storage, BI, Mobile, Cognitive & Machine Learning, Blockchain, Social, Infrastructure Services Management and cloud can apply.

Startups working in these areas can apply now with the common application form. Are you set to disrupt the healthcare, Smart City and Deep Tech space? Get ready to be a part of IBM India Smartcamp 2016.

The last date to apply for the IBM Smartcamp Healthtech is October 8, 2016. Watch this space for more details