MUMBAI, June 20 (UNI) Maharashtra’s Artificial Intelligence startups will gain global market access through a strategic partnership with Google, officials said here on Friday .

The announcement was made by the state Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha.

The collaboration aims to propel local innovation onto the international stage following high-level discussions between the minister and Google’s venture capital leadership.

Dr Apurva Chamaria, head of Google's Venture Capital and Startup Partnerships, met Minister Lodha at the latter’s office to formalize support mechanisms.

Commissioner of Skill Development Lahuraj Mali and Chief Minister’s special duty officer Kaustubh Dhavse attended the pivotal meeting.

A cornerstone initiative involves establishing India’s first dedicated Google AI training centre for startups in Maharashtra. Minister Lodha confirmed that qualifying startups emerging from a competitive selection process will receive incubation support and global industry networking opportunities.

"This centre will unlock worldwide prospects for our young entrepreneurs," Lodha stated, noting a formal Memorandum of Understanding is being finalized.

Concurrently, Google has committed to developing cutting-edge technology courses for Industrial Training Institute (ITI) students across the state. The tech giant currently operates similar AI training facilities in nine countries globally.

The partnership aligns with Maharashtra’s aggressive push to position its startup ecosystem as an international innovation hub. "We’re creating pathways for local talent to compete globally," Lodha emphasized, underscoring Google’s role in accelerating this vision.

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