The programme will shortlist start-ups that can pitch for funding to more than 300 members of The MA Network across the country. Dainik Bhaskar Group will invest in the winning start-ups, mentor them to help them grow to their full potential and support them to compete on an equal platform in India and internationally.

Startups who have either an offering or a product or a prototype ready and have commenced operations or beta testing can write into db.pitch@mumbaiangels.com.

The Ramesh and Sharda Agarwal Foundation was founded in January 2018 with core focus on education of the girl child from underprivileged families through Sanskaar Vidya Niketan. The Foundation is aiming to provide educational facilities to 3000 girls over next two years in six cities. It also aims to adopt 20 Vradhashrams (old-age homes) in 18 cities. This initiative of providing a business growth platform to people having great ideas but lacking resources or needing guidance, is also one of its core outlined agendas.

Girish Agarwaal, promoter-director, Dainik Bhaskar Group, said, “We believe India's prosperity depends strongly on its natural talent for entrepreneurship. Our primary purpose behind launching this initiative is to ensure that start-ups from fast-growing cities across India get an equal opportunity for growth and access to funding as start-ups in any other part of the country. As the largest media house in India, we consider it to be our responsibility to contribute to the growth of the start-up ecosystem in India and help create several more home-grown success stories.”

Nandini Mansinghka, CEO and MD, Mumbai Angels Network said, “The MA Network is continuously scouting for innovative start-ups and we are very excited to partner with the Daink Bhaskar Group to identify the some of the best start-ups from across India’s smaller towns and cities. The selected start-ups will be invited to pitch to over 300 members of our network across six cities.”