The TechForChange initiative, spearheaded by Nasscom Foundation and Ciena, empowers college students to cultivate impactful social ventures through an intensive 18-month programme. Participating startups receive grants, funding, mentorship, and a host of other resources to support their growth and development.
Abhinav Agarwal and Megha Joshi launched their startup Mittihub last year to connect artisans from Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and Haryana to sell their handmade terracotta ware without the burden of middlemen, helping them increase their income by 40%.
Shantanu Pathak, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, was always motivated to work in the health-tech sector. But an unfortunate incident of a friend's high-risk pregnancy opened his eyes to the lack of access to quality pregnancy care -- a purpose he dedicated his life to. He is now being supported by the Marico Innovation Foundation to take his work forward.
“A little research revealed that every year over 40,000 people in India lose their upper arms, and 85 per cent of them continue to live without any solution. And, the majority come from economically underprivileged sections."
“At one glance, it is just another piece of clothing. But we don’t realise the effort and natural resources that went into weaving that fabric and creating the garment. The lack of consciousness was one major challenge to set the balance right.” #Respect #Inspiration