Bengaluru: HP has added five new grant winners in India to its HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE) program for 2011. HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs

(HP LIFE) is a global program that trains students, aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners to harness the power of IT to establish and grow their businesses. This takes the total number of grant winners and training centers to 33 in India.

This year’s grants went to organizations in Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the United States. HP will award a total grant value of US$ 300,000 to the following organizations in India:

Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII)

Institute of Development Education and Learning (IDEAL)

Karnataka State Women’s University

Learning Links Foundation (LLF)

Society for Technology & Action for Rural Advancement (TARA)

Each grant valued at approximately US$ 60,000, consists of a technology grant, a cash grant valued at US$10,000, the professional HP LIFE training-of-trainer course for their lead trainer, as well as access to the HP LIFE network and to all online and offline training tools.

“India has thousands of micro-entrepreneurs who fuel growth and make India a hotbed for innovation. However, many small and medium entrepreneurs lack the basic skills to help turn their ideas into enterprises. With the additional training centers, HP LIFE aims to support and equip more entrepreneurs with the skills to succeed in a competitive marketplace,” said Jeannette Weisschuh, Director Education, HP Office of Global Social Innovation.

Between 2007 and 2010, HP LIFE has trained over 8,000 students in India and helped create over 1,100 new jobs and start over 900 new businesses. Over 2,200 students obtained employment.

In total, HP has awarded 40 new training centers in 9 countries with grants this year. Since 2007, HP has invested more than $20 million in the program, resulting in the creation of more than an estimated 20,000 jobs and more than approximately 6,500 new businesses globally.