KTR launches T-Bridge to connect start-ups with global market

T-Hub, India’s largest start-up ecosystem builder, in partnership with Uber and TiE Silicon Valley, on Saturday announced the launch of T-Bridge, a new programme that will connect Indian start-ups with global market opportunities and help bring global start-ups to the country.

IT and industries minister KT Rama Rao, during his ongoing visit to the United States, inaugurated T-Bridge in association with Uber and TiE Silicon Valley at Uber’s headquarters in San Francisco on Saturday.After launching the T-Bridge, he said it will enable start-up communities in India and around the world to cross-pollinate ideas, innovate and create channels for knowledge transfer. It will also create a network of mentors, VCs, incubators and accelerators that is advantageous to the Indian start-up ecosystem.

“Telangana is now recognised as one of the world’s leading destinations for start-ups within India. Hyderabad offers some of India’s best infrastructure, a large and growing technology talent pool and a vibrant, cosmopolitan international community,” the minister said. Of particular significance to innovative tech start-ups worldwide is Telangana’s great position as a gateway to leveraging India’s massive technology markets,



he added.

The minister further said that start-ups can hit the ground running instead of being buried in red tape. T-Bridge will provide a platform for such fast-track tech companies looking to tap into India’s huge consumer market for technology. T-Bridge will help start-ups access UberEXCHANGE, Uber’s flagship start-up mentorship programme and TiE Silicon Valley’s mentor network. Rama Rao further said, “We have a strong vision to make Hyderabad one of the top 10 start-up cities in the world.

T-Bridge is one such move towards opening a channel of investment from the world to the state of Telangana. I am proud to open our first outpost in US in association with Uber and TiE Silicon Valley and believe that this association will forge new partnerships and spur investment and innovation between the two countries.”

Ram K Reddy, incoming president of TiE Silicon Valley stated that the Telangana government had been one of India’s most progressive states. “TiE Silicon Valley is pleased to host the first T-Bridge outpost in Silicon Valley,” he added. Rachel Whetstone, Uber’s senior vice-president for policy and communications, said that Telangana was one of the most progressive states in India.