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| Start it @KBC | |
|---|---|
| Name | Start it @KBC |
| Type | Startup incubator |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | Kris Gopalakrishnan |
| Location | Bangalore, India |
Start it @KBC
Start it @KBC is an Indian startup incubator and accelerator based in Bangalore associated with the Krishnamurthy Balachandra Centre (KBC) ecosystem that supports early-stage ventures. The initiative connects entrepreneurs with mentors, investors, and corporate partners drawn from networks including Infosys, NASSCOM, Tata Consultancy Services, Indian Institute of Science, and National Association of Software and Services Companies to foster innovation. It operates within broader innovation landscapes such as Bengaluru, Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, Singapore, and Bangalore Tech Summit to position startups for collaboration with entities like Google, Microsoft, Amazon (company), Flipkart, and Walmart. Start it @KBC engages stakeholders from institutions like Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, NITI Aayog, Department of Science and Technology (India), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and Invest India.
Start it @KBC provides incubation, mentorship, and coworking services linking entrepreneurs to accelerators, investors, and corporate innovation units such as Sequoia Capital India, Accel Partners, Kalaari Capital, Blume Ventures, and Matrix Partners India. The program emphasizes connections with research institutions like Indian Space Research Organisation, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Statistical Institute, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research to support technology translation. Start it @KBC collaborates with academic partners including Jadavpur University, Banaras Hindu University, Anna University, IIT Madras, and IIT Delhi to source talent and projects. It also engages multinational corporations such as IBM, Intel, Cisco Systems, Oracle Corporation, and SAP SE for industry mentorship and pilot opportunities.
The accelerator runs cohort-based programs with eligibility criteria reflecting benchmarks used by accelerators like Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Startups, Seedcamp, and Plug and Play Tech Center. Applicants include founders affiliated with universities such as IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIM Calcutta and researchers from labs like Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, Centre for Catalysis and Surface Science, and Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics. Selected startups receive seed funding, mentorship from experts associated with Ernst & Young, PwC, KPMG, Deloitte, and Grant Thornton (India), and access to facilities akin to those at Biocon, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, C-DOT, and DRDO. Eligibility typically requires incorporation under frameworks like Companies Act 2013 and compliance with regulations overseen by Ministry of Corporate Affairs (India), Securities and Exchange Board of India, and Reserve Bank of India.
Founded in the mid-2010s amid a surge in Indian startup activity led by organizations such as Government of India (2014–2019), Startup India, Make in India, Digital India, Atal Innovation Mission, and events like Indian Mobile Congress, Start it @KBC emerged as part of Bangalore’s expanding ecosystem alongside initiatives like NASSCOM 10,000 Startups and campuses such as Embassy Group incubators. Its development paralleled milestones involving companies like Paytm, Ola Cabs, Zomato, Swiggy, and Byju's and investor movements by SoftBank Vision Fund, Tiger Global Management, and Berkshire Hathaway. The program evolved through partnerships with accelerators like Microsoft Accelerator, Cisco LaunchPad, Google for Startups, and AWS Activate and through events similar to Slush, Web Summit, Startup India Week, and TechCrunch Disrupt to expand networks and funding channels.
Alumni and portfolio projects include ventures that have engaged with corporates and investors such as Oyo Rooms, Freshworks, Razorpay, CRED (company), and InMobi and have drawn academic collaborations with Manipal University, PES University, and Christ University. Notable projects span sectors connected to institutions like IIT Hyderabad and companies like Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation, and Larsen & Toubro. Some startups have progressed to raise rounds from firms including Accel Partners, Sequoia Capital India, Blume Ventures, Nexus Venture Partners, and Elevation Capital and have participated in accelerators like Y Combinator, Techstars, and 500 Startups. Projects have pursued pilots with organisations such as Central Railway (India), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, National Thermal Power Corporation, State Bank of India, and ICICI Bank.
Start it @KBC is recognized within networks including NITI Aayog, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry for contributing to the Bangalore startup cluster alongside hubs like Koramangala, Whitefield, Bangalore, Electronic City, Manyata Tech Park, and Bagmane Tech Park. Coverage in media outlets such as The Economic Times, The Hindu, Business Standard, Mint (newspaper), and CNBC-TV18 has discussed its role in scaling ventures and facilitating corporate partnerships similar to alliances formed by Tech Mahindra, Wipro, HCL Technologies, Larsen & Toubro Infotech, and Persistent Systems. Observers reference ecosystem metrics tracked by entities like World Bank, International Monetary Fund, UNCTAD, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, and Startup Genome to evaluate outcomes on job creation, investment flows, and innovation diffusion attributed to programs like Start it @KBC.
Category:Business incubators