New Delhi, April 19, 2023. Leading social enterprise incubator Villgro and CISCO, have jointly selected seven women-led start-ups in the climate action segment for their 6-month targeted acceleration program- TVARAN. The selection was done through Villgro’s India Cash Grant Program. This unique initiative aims to expand the market presence of women-led start-ups innovating in renewable energy, water and waste management, and climate-smart agriculture. The TVARAN initiative aims to overcome the problem of access to capital and markets through a focused market-entry and market expansion program for the country’s best women-led climate solutions.
The selected enterprises will undergo the 6-month acceleration program designed to finance and implement their go-to-market strategies. Through this high-engagement program, Villgro and CISCO will deploy support mechanisms in the form of financial support of INR 1.4 crore (up to INR 20 lakhs per start-up comprising 18 lakhs in grant support and 2 lakhs in technical support). Additionally, the start-ups will also be provided support in capacity building, business planning, mentorship, and peer learning.
Chosen from a pool of 140 applications, the seven winners are start-ups with remarkable business ideas and models. The winners include Climate Sense that is undertaking afforestation projects in close partnership with rural communities and measuring carbon sequestration with the SAAS model; Green Grahi which raises black soldier flies to convert food waste into high-quality protein, fat and bio-fertilizer; Green Delight that makes feminine hygiene products from a sustainable fibre, Kenaf, which absorbs Co2 abundantly; MOWO Fleet- a tech-enabled women drivers' EV fleet for last mile commute and delivery services; Swachha Eco Solutions that collects, transports, aggregates and recycles waste plastic from households and industries; KNP Arises Green Energy which collects used cooking oils and fats from restaurants and converts it into biodiesel; and Bharat Krushi Seva, a tech-based advisory platform that offers an automated weather alerting system for farmers and delivers farm-specific, crop-specific and crop-stage specific actionable recommendations.
Commenting on the program, Jenaan Lilani Bhargava, COO, Villgro, said, “Women are at the forefront of climate action in India, and befittingly so, considering climate action outcomes are proved to improve with the participation of women. We had the pleasure of getting to know over 100 women-led solutions to climate change through this program and are excited about the seven that have been selected. Through the TVARAN initiative, we will work together with the entrepreneurs to seize new market opportunities, expand across geographies and solve value chain problems that are standing in the way of their success.”
Speaking on the initiative, Harish Krishnan, Managing Director & Chief Policy Officer, Cisco India & SAARC, said, “We believe that empowering women entrepreneurs to drive innovation and impact is crucial for building a sustainable future for all. We are delighted by the overwhelming response to the program, which demonstrates that social impact entrepreneurs are passionate about expanding their market accessibility. While we received a number of outstanding entries, the selected start-ups all share a common quality- they are characterized by a unique blend of technology, innovation, sustainability, and social purpose and strive to create a positive impact in the ecosystem. With Villgro as our partner, we look forward to collaborating with these exciting and innovative start-ups and providing them with the support and guidance needed to pursue their ambitions.”
