India is positioned to become the leading hub of global app innnovation, Purnima Kochikar, vice-president-Play Partnerships at Google, said.
Speaking at the Appscale Academy launch, she said, “India is increasingly transforming into an app first country. Today, India is uniquely positioned to become a leading hub for global app innovation with tremendous opportunity for Indian startups across the country, regardless of size and location, to thrive in the global app ecosystem,” she said.
The Appscale Academy is a six-month programme that will entail 100 startups being trained by means of a customised curriculum. This will enable the startups to drive high-quality apps for a global market, including sessions on UX design, business model and monetisation strategies, international expansion best practices, and data safety and security practices.
Indian apps and games have been receiving extraordinary interest from users and investors. “Last year, Indian apps and games saw a 200% increase in active monthly users on Google Play compared to 2019. Apps and games by Indian companies are also finding global audiences. For example, Ludo King has become one of the most played games globally. In 2021, the time spent by users outside India on apps and games created by Indian companies grew by 150% compared to 2019,” she said.
Jeet Vijay, CEO of MeiTY Startup Hub, said that the mission with Appscale Academy is to empower early to mid-stage startups with the right knowledge and mentorship so as to drive app and game development innovation. “Our cohort of 100 Indian startups are ensuring that a homegrown solution for many of our daily, critical, and unique needs is today just an app away. Congratulations to all the startups and thank you for being core drivers of India’s digital journey,” he said.
Published - March 02, 2022 08:24 pm IST
