TiE Bangalore Expands Startup Education to Tier 2 Cities

TiE Bangalore, one of India’s most dynamic startup ecosystems, has signed a strategic collaboration with Career247, a venture of Adda Education, one of Bharat’s leading employability ecosystems, to co-create programs that blend entrepreneurship fundamentals with technology readiness, aiming to take startup education beyond metros and into the heart of Bharat. 

India is now home to over 1.50 Lakhs registered startups, but much of the ecosystem’s activity remains concentrated in metro cities. While India has emerged as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, access to structured entrepreneurial education, mentorship, and network continues to remain concentrated in metros, leaving Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets underserved. This partnership seeks to close that gap by enabling youth, women, and early-stage entrepreneurs in smaller towns to access the same quality of entrepreneurial insights and resources as their metro counterparts.

“At the heart of this partnership lies a shared vision: to drive innovation and entrepreneurship by making startup education accessible to students and entrepreneurs beyond the metros,” said Madan Padaki, President, TiE Bangalore. “By co-developing programs with Career247, we can unlock a new wave of entrepreneurial talent across the country.” The collaboration will launch with a set of flagship initiatives designed to democratise access to entrepreneurial knowledge and future-focused skills across India’s smaller towns and institutions.

The first is AI for Women Entrepreneurs, a curated program under the TiE Women cohort that will demystify artificial intelligence for women-led businesses. The initiative is designed to help women founders not only understand the potential of AI but also apply it directly to their ventures, from streamlining operations and enhancing customer engagement to scaling more effectively. By equipping women entrepreneurs with the confidence and tools to integrate AI, the program aims to level the playing field and ensure women-led startups are not left behind in India’s technology-driven growth story.

The second is the creation of Entrepreneurship and AI Hubs across Tier 2, Tier 3, and even Tier 4 towns. These hubs will act as catalysts to propel and democratise the learning of entrepreneurship, AI, and other emerging technologies. Delivered through live classroom sessions, reinforced with strong engagement models, and supported by digital platforms, the hubs will offer both vernacular-friendly bite-sized content and deeper learning modules — ensuring students and aspiring founders can access high-quality entrepreneurial education in formats that work for them.

The third initiative focuses on building Centres of Excellence in Entrepreneurship, AI, and Emerging Tech across colleges and universities. These centres will equip students with the skills and mindset needed to be future-fit — ready not just for the jobs of tomorrow but also to become the new generation of entrepreneurs driving innovation in India. Finally, TiE Bangalore and Career247 will also jointly participate as knowledge partners in government-run projects, bringing their combined expertise to large-scale initiatives that aim to boost entrepreneurship, skill development, and technology adoption at a national level.

“The next wave of India’s entrepreneurs will come from Bharat, from young people in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, from first-generation founders, and from women ready to scale their ideas. Together with TiE Bangalore, we want to give them the skills and confidence to build boldly,” said Bimaljeet S. Bhasin, CEO – Skilling & Higher Education, Adda Education.

Leveraging TiE Bangalore’s expertise in entrepreneurship and Career247’s strong digital reach in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, the initiatives will deliver inspiring content, hands-on learning, and real-world exposure, including internships, to communities that have historically been underserved by mainstream entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The initiatives will roll out within the next 60 days, with a target of reaching lakhs of learners in the first year and scaling nationally thereafter.