impACT | Q2 2024

Our quarterly newsletter is a viewport into the latest updates from the community - highlights from ACT, stories of our social entrepreneurs and sector insights.

This newsletter is by and for the ACT Collective. We hope that you enjoy reading!

WHAT'S NEW

Greenpod Labs and Khushi Baby join the ACT portfolio

Greenpod Labs, a biotech startup, uses biomimicry to extend the shelf life of perishable goods by 40-80%, aiming to reduce 400K tons of emissions in the next 3 years. ACT For Environment’s grant will enable market expansion by accelerating product development by 7x for two high-demand crops..

Khushi Baby, a digital health nonprofit, is rolling out its Comprehensive Integrated Health Platform (CHIP) in Karnataka to digitise primary care. ACT For Health’s support will help them scale and potentially become an open-source Digital Public Good within the next 2-3 years.

Prosus highlights the value of prioritising sustainability with GSP to its portfolio

As a strategic funding partner on the #GreenStartupPledge, Prosus Ventures curated an incredible conversation on the value of prioritising sustainability with their Ventures India portfolio.

It was valuable to hear from startups in the room on the impact of their current ESG initiatives and collectively brainstorm on how they could approach sustainability goals with GSP in a way that’s aligned to their core business. We’re excited to work with our pilot cohort of 10 startups, in collaboration with StepChange , over the next few months to bring this to life!?

ACT welcomes its 3rd Fellowship cohort?

Our community of young, aspiring changemakers is growing and the 2024-25 Fellowship cohort is a diverse group of individuals from backgrounds ranging from finance and CSR to consulting and startups.?

Please join us in welcoming Yashwant Pankaj , Prathyusha Praviraj (ACT For Education), Aseem Mehra , Abhay Ahluwalia (ACT For Environment), Diksha Nawany , Achita Khare (ACT For Health) and Upasana Nallari (ACT For Women)!

C3 Medtech & Periwinkle from the ACT For Health portfolio demonstrate early traction??

C3 Medtech raised INR 2 Cr in strategic funding from Industrial Metal Powders. This investment will fuel the expansion of their affordable ophthalmic screening devices, aimed at reducing preventable blindness through telemedicine and AI-powered diagnostics.

The Health Minister of Jharkhand launched Periwinkle’s flagship Smart Scope? CX device for cervical cancer screening. This device will be deployed at six Urban Primary Health Centers in Ranchi to enhance early detection of cervical cancer and improve women’s health services.?

Mini Mines bags Karnataka's 1st R4-certified battery recycling licence

Mini Mines has earned Karnataka’s first R4-certified battery recycling licence. As one of the five national leaders in Li-ion battery waste recycling, they’re now focused on partnering with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) to commercialise extracted rare metals, while actively seeking application testing opportunities for the extracted rare metals to aid product commercialisation.

Salcit and LearnTube partner with Google to deepen product efficacy

Salcit Technologies, from the ACT For Health portfolio, is collaborating with Google to integrate their cutting-edge Health Acoustic Representations (HeAR) model into its product to enhance early TB detection through advanced cough sound analysis.??

LearnTube, from the ACT For Education portfolio, has joined the Google AI Accelerator, where it will gain expert mentorship into product design, helping it tackle technical and business challenges in the fast-evolving AI landscape.

VOPA wins the 21st Century Learning Award at Bett Asia 2024?

An ACT for Education portfolio startup, VOPA was recently felicitated for its groundbreaking efforts in transforming 21st-century education at the Bett Asia Awards 2024. The award recognises VOPA’s innovative approach in enhancing learning outcomes in India, particularly by leveraging edtech for transformative impact.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Karya: Leveraging AI to catalyse livelihoods for women in Bharat?

Karya speaks to YourStory on creating meaningful work-from-home livelihoods in rural India by enabling underserved communities to complete AI/ML data tasks.

#UnHerd Podcast

Tarun Saini (Co-founder, Vidyakul), speaks with Sunaina Mathur (Lead, ACT For Education) on his journey to create ‘Bharat Ka Online School’. Drawing on his deep market understanding, he shares the insights that drive his mission to build better for Bharat.

Jo Aggarwal (Co-founder, Wysa) speaks to Krisha Mathur (Director, ACT For Health) on developing an AI-powered digital mental health solution for all. She delves into the challenges and triumphs in making mental healthcare accessible and affordable for Bharat.

Mini Mines: Harnessing battery recycling for India’s critical mineral needs

Anupam Kumar (Co-founder, Mini Mines) weighs in on the forthcoming Production Linked Incentive scheme that could help meet India’s demand for critical minerals by boosting Li-ion battery recycling.

LearnTube: Scaling, skilling and education?

LearnTube is making waves with its innovative approach to skilling and education. Co-founder Shronit Ladhani recently spoke to CNBC on how they're scaling the platform through cutting-edge product development, expanded distribution, and enhanced marketing. With these advancements, they’re well poised for upcoming seed rounds and are set to raise $2 Mn.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Mohit Bhatnagar on the power of collective action for social change

In our latest episode of the #UnHerd podcast, Mohit Bhatnagar (MD, Peak XV Partners and Board Member at ACT) chats with Aakanksha Gulati (CEO, ACT)? on how the venture way of doing philanthropy creates space for innovative solutions to solve complex social issues.

Alankrita Khera on technology powering India’s energy transition?

In this FirstPost op-ed, Alankrita Khera (Director, ACT) emphasises the role of technological innovation for India's energy transition across waste-to-energy solutions, new battery chemistries, improved battery recycling, and distributed renewable energy.

Sashwati Bannerjee and Gouri Gupta on the role of edtech for Bharat

Sashwati Banerjee (Founder, Top Parent) and Gouri Gupta (Project Director, Central Square Foundation), join host Niharika Nanda and parent Priyanka Aggarwal to explore how edtech can revolutionise learning both in classrooms and at home.

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