<p>Bengaluru: Zendesk on Tuesday announced a new $100 million, two-year commitment to help startups. The Zendesk for Startups programme is built for the next generation of founders, offering access to products at no cost, along with resources and partner benefits to help them build and scale faster, Zendesk said, adding that it is also extending dedicated benefits to venture capital partners across their portfolios.</p><p>“The decisions founders make early about their customer infrastructure shape everything that comes after,” said Adrian McDermott, CTO, Zendesk. </p>.Google for Startups and Antler India launch Immersion in Bengaluru.<p>“I joined Zendesk when we were a small startup, and those early decisions shaped everything that followed. We built this programme with that experience in mind. AI has fundamentally changed what a small team can accomplish from day one—founders shouldn’t have to choose between moving fast and building right. With AI built in from the start, they can do both while extending their runway by removing cost as a barrier," he added.</p><p>More than 50,000 startups globally have scaled on Zendesk, including fast-growing companies like ElevenLabs and Canva. The programme supports founders and extends through Series B for companies with up to 250 employees.</p><p>Zendesk is broadening the programme to include dedicated benefits for venture capital firms. Through partnerships with a16z, Techstars, LvlUp Ventures, 500 Global, and others, investors gain access to closed-door interactive AI sessions, quarterly portfolio reviews, Zendesk Employee Service, direct access to Zendesk executives through the Executive Sponsor programme, the company announced.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Zendesk on Tuesday announced a new $100 million, two-year commitment to help startups. The Zendesk for Startups programme is built for the next generation of founders, offering access to products at no cost, along with resources and partner benefits to help them build and scale faster, Zendesk said, adding that it is also extending dedicated benefits to venture capital partners across their portfolios.</p><p>“The decisions founders make early about their customer infrastructure shape everything that comes after,” said Adrian McDermott, CTO, Zendesk. </p>.Google for Startups and Antler India launch Immersion in Bengaluru.<p>“I joined Zendesk when we were a small startup, and those early decisions shaped everything that followed. We built this programme with that experience in mind. AI has fundamentally changed what a small team can accomplish from day one—founders shouldn’t have to choose between moving fast and building right. With AI built in from the start, they can do both while extending their runway by removing cost as a barrier," he added.</p><p>More than 50,000 startups globally have scaled on Zendesk, including fast-growing companies like ElevenLabs and Canva. The programme supports founders and extends through Series B for companies with up to 250 employees.</p><p>Zendesk is broadening the programme to include dedicated benefits for venture capital firms. Through partnerships with a16z, Techstars, LvlUp Ventures, 500 Global, and others, investors gain access to closed-door interactive AI sessions, quarterly portfolio reviews, Zendesk Employee Service, direct access to Zendesk executives through the Executive Sponsor programme, the company announced.</p>