Here are the 12 B2B startups chosen by Microsoft ScaleUp for its new cohort

The Microsoft initiative aims to invest $500 million over the next two years to deliver access to technology, go-to-market, and community benefits to help startups grow their customer and revenue base.

Microsoft India on Thursday announced that it had selected 12 startups for its 12th cohort of Microsoft ScaleUp (known previously as Microsoft Accelerator). ScaleUp is part of the recently announced Microsoft for Startups initiative, a new programme that aims to invest $500 million over the next two years to deliver access to technology, go-to-market, and community benefits that helps startups grow their customer and revenue base. This is in line with the company's efforts and vision to strengthen the collaboration between startups and corporates. 

The selected startups in the 12th cohort are focused on areas of Artificial intelligence(AI), virtual reality(VR), and Big Data analytics among others to build solutions for the market. Microsoft ScaleUp focuses on late-stage(Series A) B2B startups and helps them accelerate their business growth through mentorship, streamlined go-to-market (GTM) activities, and access to technology resources.

The selected startups for the 12th cohort are:

1. AppICE, which has built a proprietary platform that can take soft and hard sensor data from connected devices like smartphones and use machine learning to generate actionable insights.

2. Appiyo Technologies’ Twixor is a "customer engagement platform", which brings together the power of "bi-directional actionable messaging" and Business Process Management (BPM). Twixor delivers actionable customer engagement in a PWA (Progressive Web App) capsule powered by their Business process management(BPM) engine. Appiyo recently raised SGD 500K in a round led by Axilor Ventures.

3. Avanseus Technologies delivers AI-based enterprise solutions for mobile, fixed, transmission, and IP backbone networks, industrial analytics, security, railways, and the Internet of Things(IoT), transforming big data into useful business insights and actions.

4. eGovernments Foundation aims to build and drive government transformations across India using open source technology.

5. Gaia Smart Cities Solution is a data automation and analytics company focused on bringing together multiple IoT and digital data streams into a single platform to enable clients to measure, monitor, and manage performance and service delivery.

6. GrowthEnabler- GrowthEnabler's Pii (Personalised Intelligence Interface) provides insights and intelligence on technology disruption, digital innovation and its impact on large corporations to solve their business issues and create competitive advantage. Their Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning engine connects business issues to emerging global companies and startups.

7. Karo Sambhav is a tech-enabled, environmentally beneficial, and socially responsible Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) that is setting up a robust India-wide solution on e-waste management.

8. Kogence brings flexibility, agility and productivity in the High Performance Computing (HPC) based workflows.

9. MachineSense has developed a patented industrial IoT system for predictive, preventive, and electrical maintenance of industrial machines. The company aims to build an IIoT platform for factory and building utilities that includes electricity, compressed air, water, HVAC, vacuum, etc.

10. SmartVizX is developing VArch Suite, a virtual reality product that improves interior design collaboration in the Architecture-Engineering-Construction (AEC) industry by offering immersive visualisation, spatial awareness, interactivity with design elements, data management, and communication features.

11. Sprinkle Data provides search-based insight discovery and adaptive data management software-as service(SaaS).

12. Xurmo Technologies is a self-service data ingestion, preparation, and analysis platform built with the vision of simplifying and automating data-driven decisions. By simplifying the analytics process, Xurmo enables faster adoption of data-driven decisionmaking in enterprises.

During the six-month programme, the 12 startups will work closely with Microsoft leaders and industry experts, and will be able to leverage the Microsoft Partner Network to scale their business models and serve enterprise clients. These startups will also get access to:

1. Microsoft’s technology expertise, infrastructure, and Azure cloud platform to build the technology backbone for their business.
2. Global alumni network of over 730 startup graduates, which aims to foster peer support and networking as well as access to Microsoft industry and customer events.

Website- Microsoft ScaleUp