StartUp India invites StartUps to participate in "Starable" to make solutions for people with special needs

Varija Life and StartUp Buddy with Startup India have announced a competition ‘Starable’. The contest is for startups who offer solutions for people with physical or mental special needs. The initiative, further, aims to encourage entrepreneurs and investors to tap the market for the specially-abled.

Varija Bajaj found Varija Life, an NGO that works in the area of disability awareness. The organization is conducting extensive research on clothing for people with disabilities through 27 fashion colleges. Talking about the initiative, Bajaj said, “Starable is an initiative to encourage entrepreneurs and investors in order to create a robust eco-system for persons with special needs including old age disability. I wish to mobilize the infrastructure, facilities, education, government, and even people’s perception of people towards people with special needs.”

Post the pandemic, the disability numbers are expected to increase due to poverty, malnutrition, inadequate access to education and healthcare, unsafe working conditions, a polluted environment, and lack of access to safe water and sanitization. To counter that situation, StartUp India and Varija Life have initiated the challenge. Startup Buddy is also one of the organizers.

Amit Singal, the co-founder of Startup Buddy, says, “The purpose of the initiative is to empower aspiring entrepreneurs to innovate and unleash their talent for this untapped segment. I am really overwhelmed with the feedback of various stakeholders and experts in the Startup Ecosystem and their zest to promote such initiatives.”

How to participate?

It is a Startup Competition for any Product, Service, or Idea offering solutions to people with physical or mental special needs. You will have to focus on facilitating or finding solutions for people with disabilities or people who have mobility issues.

Startups at Ideation Stage can also apply for the challenge. Varija will select the top 15 startups on October 15. The last date to apply for the challenge is September 30.

Incentives

Startups will receive prizes worth Rs 10 lakh. Apart from mentorship and guidance from industry experts, the winners will get access to various other grants and investment opportunities.