Meta’s new Startup School will help 200 Indian startups improve growth, marketing and AI skills

Meta has launched Startup School in India, a three month programme that will help 200 early stage consumer brands scale using AI and digital tools.

Meta has announced the launch of Meta Startup School, a new three-month programme aimed at helping early-stage consumer brands in India improve their digital growth strategies and scale their businesses using Meta’s platforms, advertising solutions and AI-powered tools.

Meta is helping 200 early stage Indian brands scale with its new Startup School programme. (Meta)

By Amit Rahi

For the past seven years, I have tracked consumer tech through constant shifts in hardware, platforms, and the way people actually use devices. Covering everything from budget gear to flagship hardware, I focus on what readers need to know, not on buzzwords or launch cycle hype. My expertise spans gaming laptops and chairs, high-performance PCs, gaming monitors, printers, smartwatches, earphones, headphones, Bluetooth speakers, tablets, and more, with a particular emphasis on how these products hold up in daily use. Reviews, explainers, buying guides, and news pieces all share the same goal: giving readers enough detail to make confident decisions without wading through fluff. Away from deadlines, I spend a lot of time gaming and watching films and anime, which naturally filters back into the work. Performance, comfort, display quality, and sound are judged the way players and viewers experience them, not just by lab numbers, which keeps my coverage grounded in real scenarios rather than just benchmarks.

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The first cohort will begin on September 1 and will include 200 early-stage consumer brands across different funding stages. The programme is designed for businesses that have started gaining traction but are looking to strengthen customer acquisition, marketing and revenue growth.

Meta Startup School to offer hands-on support

Meta Startup School will combine structured learning sessions with practical support from agency partners, venture capital firms and industry experts. Participating startups will receive three months of complimentary consultation from agency partners, without retainer fees.

The sessions will cover Meta’s advertising tools and other platform solutions, with a focus on helping startups improve campaign performance, customer acquisition and business growth. Meta will also provide guidance on how its AI-powered tools can be used to improve marketing and advertising efforts.

Fireside Ventures, DSG Consumer Partners and V3 Ventures are participating in the first cohort. Meta said more venture capital firms are expected to join the programme as it expands.

The programme will also allow participating businesses to interact with investors and industry specialists. It will conclude with a demo day where startups can showcase their progress and connect with venture capital firms, D2C founders and other members of the startup ecosystem.

Who can apply for Meta Startup School?

The programme is specifically aimed at early-stage consumer brands that are beginning to use Meta’s platforms to scale their revenue. Businesses applying for the first cohort should not be directly managed by Meta or already working with an agency.

Meta says the initiative is aimed at addressing a challenge faced by many young consumer businesses. While access to funding remains important, startups also need the right digital skills and marketing capabilities to turn early traction into sustainable growth.

Applications for the first cohort are now open through the Meta Startup School programme page.