New Delhi– Microsoft on Wednesday announced a partnership with Accenture to help deepen the reach of entrepreneurs and start-ups that are focused on social impact and sustainability.
The joint initiative will provide hands-on support and technologies to social enterprises, helping them to build scalable solutions and business models that can lead to more tangible and lasting benefits for a greater number of people around the world.
Through
the programme, Microsoft Research India and Accenture Labs will help
social enterprise startups test and validate proof-of-concepts, conduct
design thinking sessions to help them re-envision the impact of their
solutions and provide support in exploring and using Microsoft
technologies.
“Startups in the social impact and sustainability
space are among the world’s most inspiring organisations,” Jean-Philippe
Courtois, Executive Vice President and President, Microsoft Global
Sales, Marketing and Operations, said in a statement.
“By empowering them, our goal is to help change the lives of a million people,” Courtois said.
With
a particular focus on the areas of agriculture, education and
healthcare, the programme will initially engage with start-ups in
Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, leveraging the Microsoft
Research India Center for Societal impact through Cloud and Artificial
Intelligence (SCAI).
“Our experience shows that by applying
emerging technologies to critical challenges facing society, we can
accelerate social transformation,” said Paul Daugherty, Group Chief
Executive, Accenture Technology and Chief Technology Officer at
Accenture.
“This collaboration is a great illustration of delivering on ‘value’ and ‘values’ – creating tangible business and social value while aligning with people’s values,” Daugherty said. (IANS)
