Prime Video has joined forces with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India, to create Mission Start Ab, a business reality series, that will showcase India’s grassroots innovators competing to become a unicorn.
The seven-episode series will feature entrepreneurs who are focussed on scaling made-for-India innovations with the potential to impact socio-economic change, undertake a series of challenges in pursuit of scaling their business and securing funding for their ventures, informed an official announcement.
The series also brings together three investors who will search for India’s next unicorn and invest in them, by putting these 10 early-stage founders through a series of intense exercises and simulations that will test their entrepreneurial, management, communication and crises management skills.
Far from being a show about raising funding alone, where entrepreneurs seek investments, and investors seek profits; in this series, investors will also act as mentors, challenging and empowering some of the brightest minds in the country. The audience will get to witness these early-stage entrepreneurs compete with each other to become India’s next Unicorn. Currently in production, this upcoming reality show is slated to premiere soon on Prime Video.
“Lauding the remarkable spirit of India’s grassroot innovators, I am delighted to announce Prime Video’s reality series Mission Start Ab. This captivating series will serve as a powerful platform, showcasing the inspiring stories of those driving social change through innovation,” said Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India.
Sood added, “I am optimistic that it will offer immense learning opportunities to grassroot innovators in India, providing valuable insights into sustainable start-up practices and attracting the right investors. Furthermore, the series promises to entertain viewers while promoting the growth of our nation’s grassroots innovation ecosystem.”
“Our mission at Prime Video has always been to be a force for good, and an enabler of India’s economy – directly and indirectly. We are incredibly proud to partner with the Office of the PSA, Government of India and bring to life Mission Start Ab, a path-breaking series,” said Sushant Sreeram, Country Director, Prime Video, India.
“This collaboration between the Office of the PSA, Government of India and Prime Video is another milestone on the journey that started earlier this year with Amazon India signing the Letter of Engagement (LoE) with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) with an objective of contributing to the growth of India’s creative economy. This marquee collaboration exemplifies our commitment to the country and our viewers, as we create new formats that empower entrepreneurs, innovators and creators in expanding their horizons through our service. By tracing the journey of some of the most innovative minds in India, our aim with Mission Start Ab is not only to highlight grassroots innovations taking place across the country but also help fuel the dreams of many young Indians,” added Sreeram.
Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President – Public Policy at Amazon India, said, “Supporting and nurturing entrepreneurs has been one of Amazon’s focus areas in India. Over the years we have taken a number of initiatives to propel India’s start-up ecosystem. Today, we are excited to announce this Amazon Original show on Prime Video, in association with the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, We believe this show will inspire many individuals to choose the path of entrepreneurship and contribute in advancing the government’s ‘Start-up India’ initiative,” he added.
Alia Bhatt, an entrepreneur and an investor, was also present at the event to talk about her journey as an entrepreneur. She said, “While there are many great ideas and ambitious young founders around us, it takes a special kind of determination to turn that idea into reality, build the right team, find the right mentors, raise funding, and create something out of nothing. I applaud both, the Office of the PSA, Government of India, and Prime Video India for taking the initiative to enable and empower entrepreneurs through Mission Start Ab, which I believe can have a far-reaching impact on the country’s growing start-up ecosystem.”
