Many are now focusing on India’s fast growing App development ecosystem. We recently saw Google launching online courses to enhance the quality of apps created by Indians.
Though there are thousands of app created by Indians, they’re not up to the mark, nor are they making it to the top lists of the app stores. The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has recently launched an initiative known as Mobile10X jointly with Google India and Paytm to boost the development of apps in India.
There is an immediate need in the country to nurture the growing ecosystem of the community of app developers at large in India. Mobile 10X would aim not just at that, but also at increasing the Mobile app segment revenue to Rs 10,000 crore from the current Rs 1,000 crore – a growth of 10x (and that’s why the name).
The aim it is targeting at, we think, is not really difficult to achieve as it has in place the main five pillars – its Mobile Startup hubs, training 5,00,000 app developers, creative five apps incubation centres through out the country and online mentoring of app developers along with investor connect and industry connect.
So this is not a funding platform for developers, what it does instead is mentoring. The programme will play an active role in setting up five mobile startup hubs over the next five years and also provide training to five lakh engineering students on mobile OS platforms like Android and iOS. Even though they aren’t a funding platform as we said, the investor connect will also help developers reach out to potential investors. The programme would aim at training five lakh engineering students on Android and iOS platforms.
The board of Mobile10X will include Subho Ray, IAMAI President, V Manjula, biotechnology secretary and Rajan Anandan, Google India head. It will also include Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm; Naveen Tewari, founder & CEO of InMobi; and Kunal Bahl, co-founder & CEO Snapdeal.
The first mobile hub has been already setup in Bengaluru, not launched yet though, while the second one is on its way to be set up in Gurgaon by January 2016. Now these are going to be interesting as they will have testing labs, design labs, capability building and co-working space which the app developers can utilize for free. This would be a big advantage for those who have talent but lack resources.
The aim is a constructive one to bring capability and also add quality to apps that Indians are making, and it’s a great deal when India’s premier industry body which represents Internet and Mobile industry takes up such an initiative. One more step towards a Digital India!
