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FastFilmz, one of Google Launchpad’s picks, is a movie app for south Indian films. Photo credit: MeenCurry.

Google’s Launchpad accelerator today announced its fourth batch of startups.

The latest class of Launchpad has 33 startups from across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America, including six from India. These companies will work closely with Google for six months. They get equity-free support, access to Google engineers, resources, and mentors, and also two weeks of all-expense-paid training at Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California.

The Indian startups that made it to the Launchpad this time have a recurring theme: artificial intelligence. They have found diverse applications for AI tech.

IndiaLends

This is the only fintech startup from India to make it to the latest Launchpad batch. IndiaLends – like the name suggests – is a lending product.

It offers personal loans, free credit reports, home loans, and credit cards to consumers. You can check your loan eligibility using the IndiaLends app, which can also alert you when an EMI is due and help you manage and track all your credit accounts as well as monthly spending. IndiaLends uses artificial intelligence tech for credit rating, loan eligibility, and so on.

See: IndiaLends formula for fintech disruption: tailored rates, quicker loans using risk analytics

SigTuple

Healthcare startup SigTuple is an artificially intelligent pathologist. It uses computer vision and other AI tech to spot parasites in the blood and arrive at a diagnosis. It uses the same tests and slides for examination and diagnosis as pathologists do, but automates the process for more consistent and faster results.

A few months ago, SigTuple announced its series A funding of US$5.8 million – the largest investment in a healthcare AI startup out of India – from Accel Partners, IDG Ventures India, Pi Ventures, Axilor Ventures, and Endiya Partners.

See: An artificially intelligent pathologist bags India’s biggest funding in healthcare AI

RecipeBook

This was the first Indian cooking app to make it to the Editors’ Choice section on Google Play. RecipeBook, which features delicacies from every part of the globe, uses artificial intelligence to tailor the recipes according to the tastes and preferences of its users. The startup claims to be the first to do that.

See: Vodka with an AI twist? Recipe Book delivers

EdGE Networks

EdGE Networks uses deep analytics, natural language processing (NLP), and other AI technology for human resource management. It can help companies with talent acquisition and managing its workforce.

The startup’s pitch is that data-driven HR will change the HR department’s “outdated role within companies and turn it into a proactive and strategic business resource.” Deloitte picked EdGE Networks as one of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in India, competing with the best in the world.

See: The answers to HR’s most pressing challenges lie in NLP

RailYatri

In a year, the Indian Railways transport around 8.4 billion passengers. On any given day, there is a long queue at all ticket counters at railway stations across the country, and most travellers are frequently confounded by the train timings, seat availability, and other information. RailYatri helps with all that.

RailYatri crowdsources the information and uses AI technology for smart predictions to help travelers plan their upcoming travel. For instance, it predicts if a ticket on the waitlist is likely to get confirmed. The app also uses travellers’ mobile GPS to warn them of delays and gives them the platform number and coach position before a train arrives.

See: This Indian train travel app helps you travel smart, raises funding to go places

FastFilmz

FastFilmz is a movie app for south Indian films. It shows Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam cinema, and adds new movies in these languages every week. There are no ads and premium users can download unlimited HD movies and share them with friends without wasting data on their phones.

See: 9 Southeast Asian startups made it into Google’s new Launchpad class

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