A startup launched by Shaffi Mather, the former economic adviser to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, has won global recognition for his venture.
His MUrgency, a mobile app which connects people who need an emergency response in real time saving precious lives and time, was chosen as the Startup of the Year 2016 at the prestigious Startup Grind 2016 Conference in Redwood City in Silicon Valley.
There were 1,100 startups from 200 cities around the world.
Startup Grind will work with MUrgency to plug into its network across the world, said Mather, a Harvard fellow.
Mather was humiliated and forced to leave two years back after corruption charges which were never proved.
His San Francisco-based firm, which operates out of Dubai Healthcare City, last month started operations in Punjab with an initial focus on Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.
With one tap on the app, the nearest doctor, nurse or paramedic comes to the rescue of a patient within minutes.
Powered by Google for Entrepreneurs, the global startup community aggressively educates, inspires and connects entrepreneurs. The Startup Grind 2016 Programme will provide mentorship, help connect to partners, pursue funding and help MUrgency reach new users.
“The experience we have gained following the discussions from leaders in Silicon Valley has been our greatest take away from the Startup Grind programme,” the founder and CEO of MUrgency said in a statement.
“In a few days, we have been approached by several partners and potential funders who want to work with us, expand our reach and build MUrgency as the leading emergency response brand across the world.”
Mather has an MBA in finance from the University of Bridgeport and in general administration from the Joseph M Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh.
He also obtained a law degree from the School of Legal Studies at the Cochin University of Science & Technology and a masters in public administration from Harvard.
He was a Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is a visiting lecturer at the London School of Economics, where he was also a Chevening Senior Scholar in 2004.
The social entrepreneur was drawing a token salary of Re1 while advising Chandy on economic affairs.
“Of the 1,100 startups that applied, 50 were selected. These startups have great teams, traction, technology and massive markets,” the statement quoted Derek Andersen, founder & CEO of Startup Grind, as saying.