Amazon India Announces Winners of Propel Startup Accelerator Season 3

• ByStartupStory     |    February 16, 2024

Amazon India unveiled the triumphant startups of the Propel Startup Accelerator Season 3 – Mirana Toys, Avimee Herbal, and Perfora. These innovative companies collectively received a grant of $100,000 from Amazon, demonstrating their exceptional contributions to the entrepreneurial landscape.

Mirana Toys, a standout among the winners, pioneers the integration of digital and physical play through app-controlled augmented reality games. The company offers an array of smart toys that have captured the imagination of young minds globally. Avimee Herbal, founded by the 85-year-old visionary Radha Krishna Choudhary, is a hair care brand deeply rooted in Ayurveda, providing time-tested remedies for everyday hair concerns. Lastly, Perfora is India’s first made-safe certified oral health brand, committed to enhancing everyday oral care with clean ingredients and thoughtful design.

The Propel Accelerator Season 3, launched in March 2023, garnered an overwhelming response with over 1,200 applications from startups across 140 cities in India. The 47 finalists, including brands like Giva, Mokobara, and Open Secret, received a total of $1 million in AWS Activate credits.

The 8-week accelerator program, conducted in collaboration with venture capital firms such as Accel, Fireside Ventures, and revenue-based financing firms like Klub and Velocity, involved Amazon leaders, VC partners, and other industry experts. The finalists engaged in workshops, one-on-one mentorship sessions, and virtual mentorship sessions with veteran entrepreneurs.

For the first time, the program featured a unique boot camp to assist the finalists in launching their products on at least one Amazon marketplace globally. This initiative provided dedicated 1:1 support from Amazon account management teams, along with guidance on product categories and advertising support.

Devansh Sharma, Co-Founder of Mirana Toys, expressed gratitude for the program, stating, “Mirana Toys was established with the aim to be a global toy brand with its foundation being engineering and technology to deliver innovative toys to kids around the world. Amazon marketplace has been the most important partner in fulfilling our vision in India.”

Bhupen Wakankar, Director Global Trade at Amazon India, praised the entrepreneurial spirit of the participants, emphasizing Amazon’s commitment to supporting businesses of all sizes. He stated, “We will continue to work with businesses, helping them take their products to customers across the world and enable $20B in cumulative ecommerce exports from India by 2025.”

The Propel Accelerator Season 3 has played a pivotal role in fostering the growth of Indian startups and facilitating their entry into the global market. The success stories of Mirana Toys, Avimee Herbal, and Perfora underscore the program’s impact on creating globally recognized brands from India.

Chef Gauri, Founder of Confect, shared her memorable experience, saying, “One of the most memorable experiences of being in Propel Accelerator Season 3 was the peer networking meet up in Delhi where we spent the afternoon with other brand heads selling on the program. It was a tremendous value add to be in the room with peers and the Amazon Global Selling team learning from their experience and insights.”

Devansh Sharma, Founder of Mirana Toys, acknowledged the program’s role in kickstarting their global selling journey, stating, “The Propel program guided us to explore the global market, and it has been the most wonderful opportunity to take our products global. Amazon Propel has helped us in every aspect of selling globally.”

About Amazon Global Selling Propel Accelerator:

Launched in January 2021, Amazon Global Selling Propel Accelerator is designed to assist early-stage startups in the consumer products space to expand globally and become international brands. The program has empowered over 150 Indian startups to launch in global markets, fostering growth and innovation. Previous winners include Solethreads, EcoRight, Go Desi, Slurrp Farm, Sirona, and Wellbeing Nutrition.

About AWS Activate Credits:

All finalists of the Propel Accelerator Season 3 received $1 million+ in cloud computing credits through the AWS Activate program, providing early-stage startups with a range of benefits, including AWS credits, technical support, and training.

About Amazon Global Selling:

Amazon Global Selling is a flagship program that facilitates Indian MSMEs to start or expand their exports business using e-commerce. Launched in India in 2015, the program supports Indian exporters in reaching customers worldwide through Amazon’s international websites and marketplaces. The program has seen remarkable growth, with Indian MSMEs exporting through the platform surpassing $8 billion in cumulative sales. Amazon is committed to enabling $20 billion in cumulative exports from India by 2025.

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