Mumbai: In an initiative to make theIndian Startup Ecosystem more inclusive, Sardar Patel Technology Business Incubator (SPTBI) in collaboration with social platform LoveActually.Me and India’s largest communications consultancy Adfactors PR, has launched India’s first incubator program for differently abled people wanting to pursue entrepreneurship. The program comes ahead of the world celebrating International Day of Persons with Disability on December 3.

SPTBI has announced applications for the program. The deadline for the application process is December 5 2020.

The ‘Firstpreneurs’ is a 12 month incubation program, the first four months of which will be spent in prepping up the cohort on all aspects of entrepreneurship including business, marketing, financing among others. While the program will have startup mentors to guide the incubatees, a special mentor board comprising of experts from legal, business communication, finance, sales, product development, media and marketing, is being constituted to guide and support the incubatees.

Adfactors PR has partnered with SPTBI to be the communication mentor for the program.

The special mentor board will comprise of Rahul Jain, Vice President, Startup and New Age Business practice at Adfactors PR as communication mentor, Ashutosh Burnwal, Founder of Buddy4study- largest scholarship platform in India, Veena Lala, Founder of VAL & Associates as legal mentor and Deepaq Varthak, with over 25 years of experience as sales mentor among others.

As part of the incubation program, SPTBI will groom incubatees into entrepreneurship and also provide them with support in developing their ideas. Incubatees will also be provided with access to market, seed fund and investor pool, co-working facilities apart from stage wise nurturing.

B. N. Chaudhari, Chairperson, SPTBI said, “The Indian startup ecosystem gives people a chance to change the world through their ideas. We want to make this ecosystem inclusive and equal for even those who are differently abled because skill and talent has no limit. The program will encourage people with disability to test their potential and give them an equal chance in creating innovative solutions for business and society.”

Tanushree Sharma, Founder, LoveActually.Me said, “Our motto is to bring inclusivity through equality. As a social enterprise we conduct several online and offline activities that help differently abled individuals achieve personal and professional independence. Our partnership with SPTBI stems from the strong belief that an opportunity is needed by anyone to succeed in life and through this initiative, we are helping many aspiring individuals who are disabled to turn their dream of entrepreneurship into reality.”