Microsoft Ventures in India has launched a helpline for Indian entrepreneurs to get advice from trained professionals on their business, technical and legal questions. This is the first its kind of step any where in the world for startups.
Microsoft has announced the toll-free number 1800-2002-114 for Indian entrepreneurs. This number is open during business hours from Monday through Friday. Currently Microsoft has trained four persons to attend the calls and capacity would be expanded depending on the number of daily calls. Microsoft expects to receive around 1000 calls per week.
Kattayil Rajinish Menon, director of Microsoft Ventures in India, said, “Sometimes answering even simple questions about how to get started or which service provider to contact can really help startups avoid delays and cost overruns. While JumpStart cannot promise the success of a startup’s business, it can definitely help by educating entrepreneurs how to get started quickly by providing information on the vast resources available today.”
“Microsoft Ventures supports startups at every stage of maturity by providing them with the tools, resources and expertise they need to succeed,” said Joseph Landes, general manager–developer & platform evangelism at Microsoft India. “Our experience has shown that a major pain point for startups across the ecosystem in India, irrespective of their stage of maturity, is the lack of real-time support for various critical queries they face. JumpStart fills a major gap and ensures that startups get professional advice that enables them to make smart business decisions,” said Joseph Landes, general manager, developer & platform evangelism in Microsoft India.
Microsoft Ventures has also tied up with thousands of lawyers, chartered accountants, tax and human resources services to find and provide the solution of queries asked by startups. Currently the service is available only in English and Hindi. But Microsoft will expand it by adding more languages based on the demand.
