ACT Announces ₹1.43 Crore in Grant Funding for Five Tech-First Social Impact Startups

New Delhi, July 10, 2025: ACT, an Indian venture philanthropy platform, has announced a total of ₹1.43 crore in grant funding to five early-stage tech-led social enterprises. The initiative is part of a pilot designed to address the early-stage funding gap that many social innovators face while transitioning from idea to execution.

The funding aims to support technology-first solutions with potential for scalable social impact, particularly in underserved regions across India. According to ACT, traditional grant makers often prefer deployment-ready models, while venture capitalists seek market-validated products. This creates a gap where early-stage innovators struggle to secure the resources needed to build viable prototypes and test solutions.

The selected startups include:

• Sakshm AI – An AI-powered skilling platform by Apurv Mehra, Sanchit Sharma, and Kashish Mittal, offering personalized learning for Tier 2 and 3 graduates to prepare for tech jobs.
• V-All – A gamified civic action platform by Bindi Dharia, connecting individuals with volunteer opportunities based on their skills and availability.
• RenewCred – India’s first carbon registry by Abhimanyu Rathi, integrating IoT, ML, and blockchain to create a fully digital carbon credit verification and issuance system.
• The Barabari Collective – A hybrid learning platform by Harihar Menon and Karthik Krishnakumar that combines skilling and freelance opportunities for underserved youth.
• Supernan – A digital platform by Neethi Bhat and Sriganesh TV that trains and certifies women as professional nannies, connecting them to parents in need of reliable childcare.

Along with the grant, the selected ventures will receive technical advisory from Sahaj Software to build their Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and mentorship on fundraising and business strategies.

“When bold ideas are backed with timely funding support, they have the potential to solve some of Bharat’s most pressing challenges at scale. At ACT, we’ve seen firsthand how tech-driven innovations can create lasting impact when paired with sustainable business models. However, the lack of early build capital is a critical need and the absence of this funding can be a barrier for those looking to start ventures in this space. With this pilot, ACT hopes to unlock a pipeline of scalable innovations that build a more equitable and sustainable Bharat and we’re excited to work with these founders to convert their ideas into reality,” said Sowjanya Kanuri, Director at ACT.

ACT supports scalable social change through capital, mentorship, and collaboration, with a focus on applying entrepreneurial thinking and technology to drive impact.