Next Bharat Ventures

Bruised hands, broken backs, but not broken spirits. The story of Balamurugan, a Palm Tree Climber. ??#DiscoveringBharat, Ep. 3 | Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu Balamurugan comes from a family of palm tree climbers from a village ~150km away from Thoothukudi. His family is in the business of harvesting Neera (Palm tree sap), processing it into jaggery, and selling it in the market. Life of Balamurugan: - Palmyra trees produce Neera for 3-4 months a year (harvest season). - He leases land from a landowner in Tuticorin who owns these palm tree farms. - Assembles a team of 5-6 climbers who stay in farm and harvest Neera - During the off-season, they take up fishing, daily wage work, or driving, but work remains unpredictable and unstable. Challenges they face: 1. Climb everyday: Missing even one day means the tree cannot be harvested for the rest of the season. 2. No power supply: They live 3-4 months without electricity on the farms. 3. Lack of safety: As migrant workers, they have no security if something goes wrong. 4. No insurance: One climber fell a few years ago and suffered head, back, and arm injuries. The treatment cost him ?4L - his entire season’s earnings. 5. Difficulty in selling: The market is flooded with fake Neera jaggery (made with sugar, which is much cheaper). 6. Can’t let Neera ferment coz it will turn into Toddy (illegal in Tamil Nadu) Palm Tree Climber P&L (approximated): - Land lease: ~?17,000 - Each climber climbs ~40-50 trees per day (twice a day - morning and evening) - Average harvest: ~100L per day - Income per L: ?30-40 - Daily earnings: ~?3-4K - Total earnings per climber: ~?3-4L (~100 days of harvest) Despite no safety, no comfort, and daily injuries, these communities keep climbing. “Why not leave this profession and take up your off-season work full-time?” I asked them. And heard a unanimous response: “This is our pride. When we work here, we are our own boss. We don’t need to fold our hands in front of anyone and be treated poorly.” (translated from Tamil) Would love to hear ideas on how we can address these challenges! #PalmTree #Farmer #Neera

?? Have you ever heard about a Goat Bank? Yeah, you heard us right! ?? Women’s Day might be over, but cheering for our women impact entrepreneurs never stops! Meet Jayanti Mahapatra, co-founder of MANIKSTU AGRO PRIVATE LIMITED Agro, who is rewriting the story of rural Bharat—one goat at a time. In Kalahandi, Odisha, where poverty often overshadows potential, Jayanti and Biren envisioned a future where livestock equals livelihood. Through scientific goat farming, they’ve empowered 1,500+ farmers, particularly women, to become financially independent. ?? What is the Goat Bank Model? ? Women receive quality goat breeds, veterinary care & financial support ? A structured buy-back system ensures steady income ? A community-driven model where women become entrepreneurs This is not just farming—it’s about dignity, income, and empowerment. If you, too, started your entrepreneurial journey with a purpose, apply for the Next Bharat Residency Program and get access to Community, Capital, and Connections to scale your impact! ?? Join the movement. Application Link in Bio #WomenImpact #NextBharat #GoatBank #RuralEmpowerment #EntrepreneursOfBharat

Apply Now: Next Bharat Residency Program! At Next Bharat Ventures, we believe many small startups creating real impact are far better than just a handful of unicorns. Our CEO, Vipul Jindal, recently shared his vision in Nikkei Asia, emphasizing how small and midsize companies can move slowly but surely—just like India's beloved elephants—toward meaningful change. If you're an early-stage entrepreneur solving real problems in Next Bharat, this is an opportunity to be part of a program that provides community of Impact Entrepreneurs, funding, mentorship, and a powerful network to help you scale. ?? Apply now for the Next Bharat Residency Program and be part of the change! [application link in comment section] Vipul Nath Jindal Akari A. Soumya Mandal #NextBharat #SocialEntrepreneurship #StartupIndia #BharatVentures #powerofcommunity #impactinvestment

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Impact! With more than 50% of our first cohort being women, we are incredibly proud and excited to Empower and celebrate women entrepreneurs shaping the future of upcoming Bharat! At Next Bharat Residency Program, we believe in creating a thriving community where impact-driven entrepreneurs—can access the mentorship, network, and resources, capital they need to scale their ventures. Join us in building a more inclusive, sustainable, and impactful future. Applications for our next batch are now open! Apply now → Link in bio. #NextBharat #WomenEntrepreneurs #ImpactLeadership #ResidencyProgram #EmpoweringChange

#Update Next Bharat Ventures, a ?Suzuki Motor Corporation subsidiary, launched The Why Club to support Indian impact entrepreneurs, particularly women, from its Residency Program's first cohort. This community fosters collaboration among 13 startups from Tier II/III regions, focusing on rural livelihoods through sustainable practices. Next Bharat Ventures will assess investment readiness, offering funding (INR 1-5 crore). The Why Club provides mentorship, market access, and India-Japan collaboration opportunities, emphasizing long-term growth over rapid scaling. A "Pay-it-forward fellowship" ensures sustainable support. CEO Vipul Nath Jindal aims to create a self-sustaining ecosystem, addressing isolation faced by impact founders. The initiative aligns with India's Viksit Bharat 2047, supporting grassroots entrepreneurship. Applications for the next Residency Program cohort are now open. Read the story: https://ow.ly/XNMp50V9fog #ImpactEntrepreneurship #WomenEntrepreneurs #SustainablePractices #StartupIndia #RuralLivelihoods #BharatVentures #Mentorship #ViksitBharat2047 #InvestmentReady #SocialImpact

Household income goest to zero overnight! What do you do? From homemakers to entrepreneurs, this is the story of eight women coming together on a small 5km island to become the breadwinners for their families. ??#DiscoveringBharat, Ep. 3 | Kavaratti, Lakshadweep Last New Year, I was in Kavaratti - home to about 11,000 people. In 2017, due to one administrative decision, 1,000+ people lost their jobs overnight. For many families, this meant zero income, no backup plan, and no clear future. But for a group of eight women, this was the moment to act. And that's how Behena Café was born. These women mobilised their community to help them get started: - Formed a Self-Help Group (SHG) and raised money from the community to start their food business. - Convinced a local to donate land to set up their café. - Community members pitched in by donating utensils and tools. Here is how they operate: - They run the café from 4 PM to 10 PM every evening; entirely managed by them. - They serve local Lakshadweep delicacies like tuna fish samosas, palm jaggery and coconut sweets, chai, etc. - They also cook and deliver food to a nursing college and schools on the island during the day. - The café generates a profit of ~INR 40K per month; each woman earns ~INR 5K per month. This experience filled me with hope. When a community comes together to back inspired individuals, wonders can be achieved. Their Biggest Challenge Today: “We know people will love our food, but how will we ever get it out of Lakshadweep?” Lakshadweep’s remoteness and lack of supply chains mean their products may never reach the mainland, limiting their ability to grow and generate more business. The Bigger Questions That Got Me Thinking: 1. How do we help small, community-driven businesses scale beyond survival? 2. How do we enable remote communities to connect with and generate revenue from the market? What started as one self-help group and a small food stall is now a movement. Today, 11 self-help groups operate across the island, led by women who were once homemakers and are now entrepreneurs. I’m looking to connect with founders and organisations empowering such groups via financing, upskilling or market linkage. Know someone working in these spaces? Tag them in the comments for good karma! PS: A big thanks to vaishnavi somani, founder of Local Narratives, for making this experience possible. Local Narratives works with community hosts to curate immersive local experiences for travellers, bringing people closer to the culture, food, and stories of the region. #ImpactEntrepreneurship #LocalNarratives #WomenEntrepreneurs

Meet Pallavi, an 18-year-old budding entrepreneur in HSR. It was her first day at her little thela, "Little Beetroot Healthy Paddu," which she started with her sister. They previously ran a venture selling Litti Chokha in HSR, led by her sister. Now, as the younger sister, Pallavi has embarked on her own journey with Paddu, located near Cult on 14th Main Road. I felt proud to be her first customer on this exciting day. Her vision is to serve 50 customers a day and build a profitable business from this venture so that she can contribute to her family and travel a little. I am curious if there are startups currently focused on supporting thelas like Pallavi's, the informal economy, helping to balance demand and supply, and improving the lives of these entrepreneurs. If you know of any such startups, I would love to connect with them through Next Bharat Ventures And if you're in HSR, please visit Pallavi and help her achieve her first-month goals for her Paddu venture! #impactinvestment #localnarratives Local Narratives

Applications Now Open: Next Bharat Residency Program – Summer Batch! ?? Impact grows when changemakers come together. Next Bharat is building a community of impact entrepreneurs transforming lives in India 2 & India 3 — the backbone of Bharat’s informal and rural economy. If you're working to increase incomes in informal and rural economies through your venture, this program is for YOU! What defines an Impact Entrepreneur? ? Solving critical societal challenges ? Building inclusive communities ? Driving business growth with empathy ? Committed to lifelong learning Eligibility: ?? For-profit startup ?? Directly impacting India 2 & India 3 ?? Non-zero revenue Ready to be part of the Next Bharat movement? ?? Application link in the comments! #NextBharat #NextBillion #ImpactEntrepreneurs #PowerOfCommunity #ImpactInvestment

?? Calling all waste warriors & impact entrepreneurs! Are you working with waste pickers, scrap dealers, small-scale recyclers, or upcycling initiatives to increase incomes in rural or informal economies in India? Or do you know someone who is? I’d love to connect. Let’s explore how we can scale impact and create sustainable livelihoods. Please comment or tag them below—I’d love to chat. #CircularEconomy #WasteToWealth #InformalEconomy #SocialImpact #Sustainability #Entrepreneurship

Making Invisible Bharat Visible - A Silent Conversation That Spoke Volumes In a quiet corner of the city, I stepped into a café unlike any other. At first glance, it felt like any warm, inviting space—cozy seating, the soft hum of conversations, and the comforting aroma of chai and coffee. But within minutes, I realised this was more than just a café—it was a movement, a space built on inclusivity and dignity. The founder, an entrepreneur with a vision, had set out to create a platform where Persons with Disabilities (PWD), particularly those who are Hard of Hearing (HI) or Deaf, could work, communicate, and engage with the world on equal footing. His intent was simple yet profound—to remind society that these individuals are not just employable but equally capable of leading independent, dignified lives. As I interacted with the staff, I found myself in a world where conversations were not limited to spoken words. Gestures, expressions, and an unspoken sense of understanding filled the air. Every movement was intentional, every smile held meaning. And in that moment, something within me stirred. I was taken back to my childhood—memories of school days when I had friends who were PWD. I now realize I could have been kinder, more patient, more understanding.Perhaps I was unaware, or maybe I simply didn’t make the effort to see beyond their challenges. Today, sitting here, I wondered how different things could have been if I had known then what I was learning now. One of the things I love about my work is the opportunity to travel and meet remarkable people. People who, in their own quiet ways, are making Invisible Bharat visible. The reality of their struggles, their dreams, and their triumphs is always in front of us, yet we often fail to see it—either due to ignorance or the rush of life. But when you pause, sit with them, and truly listen, something shifts within. The time spent in such spaces doesn’t just teach you something new—it changes you. It makes you question, reflect, and ultimately, grow. As I stepped out, I carried with me more than just the memory of a great cup of chai. I carried a deeper understanding of humanity, a resolve to see the unseen, and a reminder that awareness is the first step toward change. And perhaps, that’s how we become better human beings—not just by learning, but by unlearning and relearning with an open heart.