Tech for enterprise: Cisco's fourth cohort launchpad focuses on deep tech

From making payments using sound to using Internet of Things (IoT) to track plane terminals, to using quantum cryptography to protect enterprise data - Cisco's fourth cohort of startup graduates showed investors and enterprises that India can be a product nation.

So far, 24 startups have graduated from the Cisco Launchpad. “We believe many of them can become partners in the long run. What is good about the programme is that about six of them have gone on to raise pre-Series A funding,” says Krishna Sundresan, VP-Engineering at Cisco.

In the Fourth Cohort, the eight startups that graduated are – Minion Labs, Qunu Labs, Schrocken, Squad Cast, Trilbit, Uncanny Vision, Velmenni and ZestIOT.

Here is what these startups do:

MinionLabs: It helps businesses reduce their electricity costs and improve their productivity by providing real-time device-level electricity consumption insights using a smart energy device using its analytics platform.

QunuLabs: The quantum security technology company offers solutions and products to provide hack-proof data security.

Schrocken: It helps OEMs protect contractual commitments such as warranties, operations and maintenance agreements, and equipment rental contracts for connected products.

Squadcast: Offers a SaaS solution for tech teams to minimise unplanned downtime and improve system reliability with better incident orchestration.

TrillBit: A cross-platform solution that connects businesses and people in real-time through a proprietary acoustic technology to make payments, and engage people over mobile phone.

Uncanny Vision: It helps systems integrators in smart cities and smart infrastructure applications with real-time, edge-powered, AI-based vision for surveillance cameras.

Velmenni: It chases 10x speed of current day data communication through illumination, with a technology called Li-Fi or light fidility.

Zest IoT: Uses IoT to help airlines and airports improve on-time performance of flights by improving departure schedules, transferring data in real-time to the command and control system.

“We have focused on deep tech and entrepreneurs with experience. There is a lot of maturity in the startup founders we are picking. They understand problems of industry. At Cisco, we help them work with our clients, and hopefully in the long run, all of them become our partners,” says Sundresan.

In its previous cohorts, Cisco has mentored the following startups:

●      First cohort: AlgoEngines, VuNet, Teslon, Torchfi, Navstik Labs, haltDos, Astrome, and IQLECT

●      Second cohort: App Knox, Mishi Pay, Dataglen, Pickcel, Entrib Technologies, Pycno, Imaginate, and Spectral Insights

●      Third cohort: Asquared IoT, Atoll Solutions, Exabit Systems, FluxGen, SenseGiz, Talasecure, Planetworx, and Ziroh Labs.

“The few months we spent at LaunchPad, we learnt the value of scaling and partnering with larger clients,” says Mrigesh Parasar, Co-founder of TrillBit.