NOIDA, India and NEW YORK, July 20, 2023: HCLTech, a leading global technology company, has joined the XR Startup Program, an initiative between Meta and the MeitY Startup Hub to discover, nurture and accelerate extended reality (XR) technology startups in India.

"We are thrilled to participate in the XR Startup Program to mentor and support startups and innovators in emerging technologies including augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality. Digital engineering is of strategic focus to HCLTech and our involvement in this program reinforces our commitment to nurturing emerging technologies and innovation to drive all-around growth,” said Vijay Guntur, President, Engineering and R&D Services, HCLTech.

As a knowledge partner of this program, HCLTech will help foster a vibrant ecosystem in which Indian startups can pioneer and develop innovative services, hardware and software solutions with focus on education, healthcare and agri-tech, creating significant economic, social and environmental impact.

"The XR Startup Program is playing a crucial role in supporting startups embrace extended reality  technologies. We are delighted to collaborate with HCLTech for this program. Their leadership and guidance as a trusted partner will greatly benefit the program participants and further Meta's vision of nurturing immersive technologies and innovation in India to make the country a hub for these emerging technologies," said Shivnath Thukral, Director and Head Public Policy, India, Meta.

HCLTech's subject matter experts will provide one-on-one mentorship to the startups, leading thought leadership sessions and providing valuable business and industry perspectives. As the program progresses, the startups may leverage HCLTech's global infrastructure, next-generation engineering technology and innovation labs to develop, test and validate their use cases.

“MeitY Startup Hub’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship has made India the third largest startup ecosystem in the world. The next wave of innovation, transformation and investments is in XR technologies and the metaverse, and the ‘XR Accelerator’ program will ensure that Indian startups are at the forefront of developing, launching and scaling immersive technology solutions for the global markets. Active collaboration of the academia and industry leaders provides practical guidance and support to the startups to become leaders for this new era,” said Jeet Vijay, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub.   

The XR Startup Program is contributing to India’s efforts in establishing a foundation for the metaverse while fostering the development of XR technologies within the country. This aligns with the country’s vision of transforming the next decade into a 'Techade’, enabling opportunities for the youth of India.

About MSH

MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), is an initiative of MeitY has been focused on building and strengthening the startup ecosystem across India via the launch of new funding schemes, corporate startup programs, and international expansion programs for startups among other activities. We host 4000+ startups, 51 supported and 476 registered Incubators, 26 Centres of Entrepreneurship (CoEs), 22 Accelerators and 400+ Mentors in our network.

About Meta Platforms Inc.

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.

About HCLTech

HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 223,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending June 2023 totaled $12.8 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.

For further details, please contact:

Michelle Rico, Americas
michelle.rico@hcltech.com

Elka Ghudial, EMEA
elka.ghudial@hcltech.com

James Galvin, ANZ
james.galvin@hcltech.com

Devneeta Pahuja, India and APAC
devneeta.p@hcltech.com