Solethreads, EcoRight and Go Desi are the winners of Amazon’s startup accelerator programme

• Solethreads, EcoRight and Go Desi cumulatively receive $100,000 as an equity-free grant from Amazon.
• Over 1,000 entries were received for Amazon Global Selling Propel Startup Accelerator Season 2 launched earlier in the year to help Indian startups go global.
• The 15 shortlisted startups underwent an 8-week mentorship programme organized by Amazon.

Amazon India today announced the winners of its Amazon Global Selling Propel Startup Accelerator Season 2. Solethreads, EcoRight and Go Desi were chosen amongst 1,000 startups that have applied for the programme.

The three emerged winners cumulatively will receive a $100,000 grant from Amazon for global expansion. Solethreads emerged as the winner while Ecoright and GoDesi came a close second.

Solethreads, a Delhi-based flip flop startup which started in 2019, sells casual wear flip flop and shoes across various states in India.

“In the last couple of months, we got many opportunities to interact with industry stalwarts, VCs and peers. We learnt about the nuances of building a global business, serving global customers with varying preferences, benefits of going directly to customers worldwide and more. This is just a start for us,” said Vikram Iyer, co-founder, Solethreads.

EcoRight is an Ahmedabad based startup which sells sustainable tote bags, and have 90% of women as their factory workers. The company was awarded the second prize in the Amazon Global Selling Propel Startup Accelerator in Delhi.

GoDesi, one stop for candies and mithais, was the third winner of the accelerator programme.

“India is the third largest hub of the startup ecosystem with over 75,000 companies. Out of these, 57% are conceived in tier 2 and 3 cities,” said Deepak Bagal, managing director and CEO of Invest India, speaking at the event.

Also, 60% registered startups in the ecommerce space have at least one woman director, added Bagal.

‘Startups can now focus on the product, not compliance’

More than 1000 startups and emerging brands had applied for the programme. Out of which, top 15 were selected as finalists including Almo, Avishkaar, Belora, EcoRight, Eske, Go Desi, Greencure, Hathmic, IVEI, Masterchow, Minimalist, Shumee, Sleepy Owl Coffee, SoleThreads and The Artment.

Launched in January 2021, Amazon Global Selling Propel Accelerator programme is designed to help early-stage startups in the consumer products space expand globally and become international brands.

The second season of Propel Accelerator was launched in February 2022 in partnership with Accel, DSG Consumer Partners, Fireside Ventures and Sequoia Capital India.

“Even a small player in India can now just focus on the product and not worry about compliance and logistics or advertisement. Information about the demography of customers is readily available. It unlocks the entrepreneurial spirit of India. In the last 17 months alone, $2 billion of cumulative exports have been sent from India,” said Raghav Rao, VP Finance, India and emerging, Amazon India at the event.

As a part of the programme, a cohort of select startups receive 1:1 mentorship from industry leaders, a platform to interact with investors and receive handholding support in going global. Slurrp Farm, Sirona and Wellbeing Nutrition were the winners of the programme’s inaugural season in 2021.

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