Launched in 2020, i2E LAB is Uttunga Ventures‘ flagship initiative with the Telangana State Innovation Cell focused on scaling innovations to the next level. A structured 14 week social innovation accelerator, i2E LAB will equip founders with appropriate tools, mindsets, network connections , a pool of expert mentors , discover customers and assist in raising investments. We are one of the few accelerators in India who are outcome driven and very hands-on.

i2E LAB : Championing Social Innovations

Solving for global goals is a huge business opportunity, it’s as huge as USD 12 Trillion. We need innovations that can scale, that understands the context of SDGs better, businesses that can serve millions of lives but at the same time make financial sense. We understand the first few years will be tough for startups, even tougher when one is chasing wicked problems of our times. Creating pathways to enable purposeful entrepreneurs ideate, test and scale solutions drives us. We built i2E Lab to give founders a platform to experiment, make mistakes & learn from them, seek help to discover customers and funds to scale. If you are an innovator or a founder that’s building for health, circular economy, climate change, education, industry or any of the 17 SDGs, we are here to help you succeed.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE: 14 TRANSFORMATIONAL WEEKS

The accelerator has a set of modules on various blocks of building a sustainable business – be it understanding customers, market intelligence, developing GTM plan, revisiting financial (& business) model, on-the-ground research with existing or new customers, strategy and evolve as excellent storytellers, we cover everything.

At least one of the founders is expected to attend all the workshops, focus on module objectives based on their startup’s needs and attend mentoring sessions without fail. i2E LAB is a hybrid program, as such we have a blend of online sessions with offline interactions.

Mentors and field experts will be matched based on the needs of the startups, and will interact in both group and one-on-one sessions. At the end of each module, founders will have to update their deck based on the accepted worksheets.

i2E LAB Bootcamp:

i2E LAB is an experience, says one of our alumni founder Harshin. Between the 10th – 14th week of the accelerator, we bring our cohort founders together for a bootcamp. This is a residential component of the accelerator, where founders work in a hackathon model, but on their respective goals. Founders meet fellow cohort startups, mentors, investors and other collaborators and achieve a pre-agreed outcome at the end of the bootcamp. We believe this will be a game-changing experience for each one of us and hence participation in this is compulsory.

Key Takeaways:

1. 24 Month GTM plan & strategy

2. Revised Business Model

3. Pathways to Scale: Pilot & new customer acquisitions

4. Investment Readiness – pitch to our investing partners

What kind of startups are selected?

Selection process is fairly simple : tell us about your product, vision, the problem you are solving and about your team – if we are convinced, you are in! Unlike other accelerators, we work very closely with each founding team, and get our hands dirty while solving your problem together. We are obsessed with adding value to innovators and founders that we onboard!

We are a sector agnostic social innovation accelerator. As long as your product is solving any one of the SDGs, climate change or net zero goals, we welcome you to apply! Along with this criterion, your chances of being selected is high if :

1. You are committed to meet the demands of an intense accelerator
2. Your idea is disruptive, even at experimental stages – we are keen to build with you .
3. You have overcome individual and collective challenges, your hunger to solve big problems is your inspiration .

At this point of time, we are not accepting not-for-profit ideas to the program.

How are our Alumni faring ?

As we said, we are obsessed with our startups, for us they are more than just a portfolio listing. We operate as our startups’ partners, siblings, friends and guide – all in one package!