India, 26 January 2022: Wadhwani Foundation and the National Entrepreneurship Network [NEN] today announced the launch of the Wadhwani Takeoff Program, which provides an incredible opportunity for shortlisted startups and entrepreneurs to secure an all-expense-paid trip to Silicon Valley, the global center of technological innovation and entrepreneurship. The Wadhwani TakeOff program will give shortlisted participants extensive exposure to the famed entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Valley through networking exposure with entrepreneurs, mentorship by business leaders and entrepreneurs, and a golden opportunity to pitch ideas to investors.
Speaking on the Wadhwani TakeOff launch, Sanjay Shah, Chief Operating Officer, Wadhwani Foundation – India/SEA, said, “The Indian startup ecosystem skyrocketed in 2021 with 78 unicorns and 8 IPOs to become the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. To fulfil its ambitious goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025, a vibrant and world-leading startup ecosystem for India is a must. The Wadhwani TakeOff program seeks to attract many more into the entrepreneurship fold by providing the incentive and an opportunity to be able to rub shoulders with the very best of entrepreneurs, mentors and investors in the Silicon Valley.”
Adds, Rajeev Warrier, Executive VP, Wadhwani NEN, “Wadhwani Foundation and NEN have been at the forefront of evangelizing entrepreneurship for two decades by inculcating the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst the best and the brightest with the strategic aim of shifting focus from creating job seekers to fostering job creators. The Wadhwani TakeOff program will provide a further impetus to NEN’s efforts in evangelizing entrepreneurship by giving wings to the dreams of aspiring entrepreneurs and exposing them to the Silicon Valley ecosystem and propelling their growth prospects.”
Wadhwani Takeoff seeks to encourage and excite students already enrolled in the NEN entrepreneurship course and will simultaneously motivate new students to enrol in the course. Those eligible participants to the Wadhwani TakeOff program who end up with a commercially viable idea/venture and get top certification by an independent global jury will make it to this all-expense-paid Silicon Valley trip.
Wadhwani NEN course enrolments in the below two phases will be eligible to win the Silicon Valley trip in case they are shortlisted by a global jury or the same.
- Period: Jan to June ’22 and certified by a global jury in July’22 (for the 1st trip planned in Aug/Sept ’22)
- Period: July to Dec ’22 and certified by a global jury in Jan’23 (for the 2nd trip planned in Feb/Mar ’23)
Participants who are already enrolled in NEN courses currently will be auto eligible.
More details on the Wadhwani TakeOff program:
