India’s Grassroots Entrepreneurship Gets Major Boost
Aavishkaar Foundation and Next Bharat Ventures Unite to Cultivate Local Innovators
A significant strategic alliance has been forged between the Aavishkaar Foundation and Next Bharat Ventures, aiming to propel entrepreneurship across India’s often-overlooked regions. This partnership seeks to empower early-stage founders from non-metropolitan areas by providing crucial capital, expert mentorship, and community support.
Nurturing Local Solutions
The collaboration will weave the Aavishkaar Foundation’s Entrepreneur Investing Program (EIP) into Next Bharat’s Residency Program. This integrated approach is designed to cultivate a robust pipeline of new businesses addressing critical local needs in key sectors such as agriculture, rural supply chains, financial inclusion, and waste management.
Both organizations champion a shared vision: strengthening the impact entrepreneurship ecosystem by fostering scalable and sustainable solutions. They believe these homegrown ventures are vital for India’s development trajectory.
“As we chart the course towards Vikshit Bharat@2047, we are proud to support India’s homegrown startups through transformative platforms like the Next Bharat Ventures Residency and Aavishkaar Foundation’s Entrepreneur Investing Program. These initiatives are not just about funding — they’re about nurturing bold ideas, building resilient communities, and unlocking the potential of entrepreneurs who are solving problems worth solving.”
—Vineet Rai, Founder of Aavishkaar Group
Investing in India’s Heartlands
Vipul Nath Jindal, Founder of Next Bharat Ventures, expressed his conviction in the potential of rural India, stating:
“At Next Bharat Ventures, we believe India’s next wave of innovation will rise from its grassroots. By backing entrepreneurs that are building ventures for the rural sector or the informal sector, we’re not just investing in startups — we’re investing in the future of Bharat, where resilience meets ingenuity. We call it building elephants, than building unicorns.”
—Vipul Nath Jindal, Founder of Next Bharat Ventures
This cross-pollination of startups from the impact community and innovation programs is expected to amplify the reach and effectiveness of India’s homegrown innovators. The initiative aims to provide vital innovation, insights, and impact to startups originating from the country’s heartland.
The focus on “building elephants” rather than just “unicorns” signifies a commitment to creating robust, sustainable businesses with deep societal impact, rather than solely chasing high-valuation, rapid-growth models. For instance, companies focusing on improving agricultural yields through accessible technology or digitizing smallholder farmer supply chains are prime examples of such “elephant” ventures.
Aavishkaar and Next Bharat Ventures are poised to significantly contribute to the nation’s goal of inclusive economic growth by empowering entrepreneurs at the grassroots level.