Taxi hailing appUber has partnered with start-up incubator, T-Hub and TiE Silicon Valley, to launch T-Bridge that will give a further boost to the Indian start-up ecosystem by bringing in global start-ups.

T-Bridge will connect Indian start-ups with global market opportunities, and help bring global start-ups to India. This programme will enable start-up communities in India and around the world to cross-pollinate ideas, innovate and create channels for knowledge transfer.

It will also create a network of mentors, VCs, incubators and accelerators that the Indian start-up ecosystem could take advantage of, Uber said in a statement today.

The programme has been launched in Hyderabad to make Telangana a gateway to leverage India’s massive technology markets. It will soon be rolled out in other markets.

T-Bridge will provide a platform for such fast-track tech companies looking to tap India’s huge consumer market for technology.

T-bridge will help start-ups access UberEXCHANGE, Uber’s flagship start-up mentorship programme, and TiE’s Silicon Valley’s mentor network. As part of UberEXCHANGE, global leaders at Uber have already conducted five separate mentorship sessions with select Indian start-ups across different categories over the year. The sessions will culminate in a grand finale with Uber shortlisting 10 start-up finalists, who will be flown to San Francisco to meet Uber’s senior leadership and be introduced to potential investors.

Rachel Whetstone, Uber’s senior vice-president for policy and communications, said, “Telangana is one of the most progressive states in India, and it has set up a culture of ‘regulatory incubation’ — allowing new ideas and business models to thrive. Today, more and more people around the world want to build something themselves. Through initiatives such as UberEXCHANGE, our mentorship programme for Indian start-ups, we hope to spur entrepreneurship. Creative partnerships like T-Bridge will continue to strengthen ties between India and the global start-up scene.”

Jay Krishnan CEO, T Hub said, “Since the launch of T-HUB last year, we’ve witnessed a threefold increase in start-up activity in Hyderabad. The city is abuzz with over 30 incubators and co-working spaces There is something happening in every corner. We’re committed to enabling and growing this community and to helping Indian entrepreneurs access global resources. T Bridge is one such initiative in that direction. We are proud to set up our first outpost in the heart of the start-up activity – at Silicon Valley”.

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