Google has once again reaffirmed with its plan to Digitally empower India. The tech giant had last year come up with projects to reduce the connectivity gap in the country. Moreover, it had come up with an initiative to provide free Wi-Fi connections at all major metro stations which indeed proved to be a masterstroke
This year Google aspires to give a major lift to Small and Medium size businesses that form the backbone of the Indian economy. Google at an event named DigitalUnlocked has come up with two initiatives to get SMB’s online through the power of digital.
The google Ceo MR. Pichai addressed the Domestic technology market on Jan 4th, 2017 in New Delhi. With initiatives,that focus on giving a boost to the small and medium businesses in India.
On speaking the need to bring SMB’s online, google cited a joint study by KPMG which stated that 68% out of 51 million SMB’s are offline. Digitization will drastically change their contribution in the GDP.
DigitalUnlocked
In reference to this very need, Google has launched its “ DigitalUnlocked” training platform to provide essential technical skills to empower the SMB’s. Google believes having a technological backbone increases your reach at the local as well as global level. The 32% of companies that have gone digital have seen two-three times growth in the profits.
Further google has partnered with FICCI to kick start its Digital training programme. The programme will offer mobile and online courses to SMB’s to start their digital journey.
The process requires ones to just register to the Digital Unlock Website. The program will be offered in three formats, online, offline and mobile.
The business that registers for online will be provided 90 videos, roughly 6 mins each on how they can us the digital route to reach maximum people. The training material will be made available in English and Hindi, plans on integrating more regional languages is on the way.
At the event, the Ceo also mentioned his plans for offline training. In collaborations with FICCI, it will be setting up 5000 workshops in 40 Indian cities later this year. Google has similar initiatives in 3 dozen other countries that are targeted towards digitisation of small and medium enterprises.
At the event MR. Pichai said, access to information was a luxury — but this luxury is now readily available thanks to the internet. The internet has changed the world, it’s as useful for a big merchant as it is for a small one too.”
