Amazon launches Amazon Launchpad in India to help Indian Startups Showcase their Offering Internationally

The world’s largest online marketplace, Amazon, has decided to extend its program, Amazon Launchpad, to India, in the wake of exciting new startups everyday. As the name suggests, this initiative helps propel startups to another level by distributing their products on Amazon’s platform.

Amazon has a huge customer base, which even small retailers know, and this is how the company intends to market smaller companies and startups in particular. Business that do not have enough knowledge and capital to market their products, can now do so through Amazon Launchpad.

To begin with, Amazon India has partnered with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) “Start Up India” initiative, IT industry’s representative organisation Nasscom’s “10,000 Startup” initiative and Indian Angel Network (IAN), among others, to help identify and enroll startups.

Startups in India are developing some interesting products that don’t have a proper channel to be marketed and sold on. Amazon India will provide a platform for such startups, showcase their talent and products on its website to millions of customers.

“By bringing Amazon Launchpad to India, we encourage innovation from the start-up community. India has great minds which invent amazing products and we will support their growth by helping customers discover their new products not just in India but other countries around the world,” said Amit Agarwal, Vice President and Country Head, Amazon India.

In the Silicon Valley of the US, Amazon Launchpad has tied-up with venture capitalists and accelerators to provide support to such startups. Smaller products like luggage trolleys and smart sensors for homes can be found through this platform.

Over 25 Indian startups like Witworks, Leaf Wearables, Ducere Technologies, Seventh Sense Technologies have already joined the programme. Amazon India has also tied-up with Niti Aayog, Government of Maharashtra and Government of Telangana for this initiative.

What services do the startups get?

Once the startups are identified with the Amazon Launchpad programme in India, they will get certain benefits like brand development (like custom product pages and a dedicated Q&A section) and customer reach (on-site merchandise placements, personalized recommendations, external program PR, and access to advertising).

These startups will also get to showcase their products to the international audience, which is the biggest takeaway from this service. For example, a startup develops an innovative robot to clean the clutter on a table desk, this product will then be also sold in foreign countries where demand would be high.

Of course, the products have to be competent enough and should comply with Amazon’s policies to be sold online. It will not be easy for these startups to get their product on the website, let alone sell them to the customers.

There is also no surety that the product will sell online as expected, because of the competitive nature of the platform and the plethora of goods sold. These smaller items might get lost in other similar products, which is why developers and manufacturers have to design a very unique product.

If you’re in a similar zone right now, keep an eye out for Amazon’s Launchpad initiative. Your chances of succeeding and making it big will definitely increase, as the company will try to push it for you.