UDAAN takes flight: How Dell Technologies is empowering India’s MSMEs for the AI Era

India’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that contribute over 30 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employ millions, are at a critical juncture of growth and scalability. The shift toward a digital and AI-powered economy presents both immense opportunities and complex challenges, particularly around technology adoption and cybersecurity. Addressing this need, a new initiative – UDAAN (Unleash the Digital Advantage for Accelerated AI-powered Navigation) – has successfully completed the first four legs of a nationwide roadshow.

A collaboration between HT Media, Dell Technologies, and Intel®, UDAAN is designed to accelerate the digital transformation journey for small businesses. The initial sessions held in Nagpur, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Greater Noida have been met with enthusiastic participation, confirming the strong appetite among MSME leaders for practical insights into technology adoption. Similar roadshows have been planned in six more cities including Pune, Gandhinagar, Cochin, Coimbatore, Vizag and Indore.

What to expect at the roadshows

The UDAAN roadshows are structured to deliver actionable knowledge rather than abstract concepts. The event is knowledge-intensive, offering a clear roadmap for MSMEs to embrace a digital-first approach. A typical roadshow begins with an insightful keynote address from an industry expert, setting the context for how emerging technologies are reshaping the competitive landscape for small businesses. This is followed by interactive workshops that dive deep into critical areas such as adopting AI and ensuring robust cybersecurity.

Participants can engage directly with experts on how to leverage on-device AI tools for productivity and safeguard their sensitive business data. The session is followed by an Ask the Expert Session, a dedicated open forum that allows MSME and small business owners to get answers to specific queries related to challenges they are facing with their businesses. These are answered by technology experts and business leaders. The four roadshows saw a good turnout, a testament to effectiveness of this model in bridging the knowledge gap. Following this strong start, the UDAAN roadshow is set to expand its footprint in six more cities across the country.

The Dell Product Experience Zone

A highlight of every UDAAN event is The Dell Product Experience Zone, where MSME owners can explore a comprehensive suite of hardware tailored for their specific needs. This zone showcases “hero products” that are optimised for modern productivity. These include:

Dell Pro 14 Essential: Designed for the modern SMB who demands a work-on-the-go device, the Dell Pro 14 Essential is a compact business notebook weighing just 1.54 kg. Its features are engineered to accelerate business success. Equipped with Intel® Core™ processors, the notebook enables seamless multitasking, allowing business owners to effortlessly switch between different applications as they multitask between workflows, video calls and emails. For clear viewing, it boasts of a large 16:10 display aspect ratio with narrow borders for an enhanced visual workspace, while Comfort View or Comfort View Plus options reduce blue light for eye comfort during long sessions. Furthermore, the device is built for road-ready dependability, meeting the military-grade MIL-STD 810H standards for durability, and offering up to 10 hours of battery life with Express Charge™ for quick top ups. Finally, it ensures essential security with a Hardware TPM chip and lock slot to protect sensitive data at the hardware level.

Dell Pro 15 Essential: Building on the Pro Essential performance foundation, the 15-inch model offers a significantly larger workspace, making it ideal for those working in data intensive roles like finance, accounting and inventory management. Their productivity is boosted by the inclusion of a dedicated 10-key numpad for data entry efficiency, facilitating faster and more accurate data processing. This model provides clear visuals via a larger FHD display with narrow borders, giving users more screen real estate to work with spreadsheets and multiple windows. Sharing the core business power of the Pro Essential line, it includes Intel® Core™ processors for smooth multitasking and a Hardware TPM chip for security. Both the Pro 14 and 15 models are business-ready notebooks that simplify fleet management through tools like Autopilot, Microsoft Intune, and the Dell Management Portal, enabling efficient cloud-based deployment and management.

The Pro Essential Ecosystem: Recognising that modern output requires a complete system, the Dell Pro Essential recommended ecosystem transforms any laptop into a professional grade business ready notebook. This bundled approach provides fundamental tools necessary for productivity, collaboration and mobility. The ecosystem features the Dell Pro 27 Monitor, Dell Pro Compact Silent Keyboard and Mouse set, or the separate Dell Pro Compact Silent Mouse for on-the-go professionals. For efficient collaboration, the Dell Webcam and the Dell Pro Wireless Headset ensure clear audio and video for remote work. Finally, enhanced mobility is supported by the Dell Pro 7-in-1 USB-C Travel Hub for easy connectivity and the sustainable Dell 14-16 EcoLoop Backpack for safe transport of the entire setup.

UDAAN offers a platform where MSMEs from different sectors can come together to share experiences, learn from their peers, and build meaningful relationships that can lead to future collaborations. If you are looking to give your small business the digital edge, register for the next UDAAN session near you. Click here to find out more.

Note to the Reader: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Mint.