Indian incubator for social enterprises, Villgro and CISCO, through its India Cash Grant Programme, have jointly selected seven women-led start-ups in the climate action segment for their six-month targeted acceleration program, TVARAN. The initiative aims to expand the market presence of women-led start-ups working on renewable energy, water and waste management, and climate-smart agriculture.

The company has claimed in a statement that the women-led climate start-ups face many obstacles, including access to capital and markets. The TVARAN initiative aims to overcome this problem through a focused market entry and expansion programme.

The selected seven enterprises will undergo the six-month acceleration programme, designed to finance and implement the go-to-market strategies of women entrepreneurs. Villgro and CISCO will deploy support mechanisms in the form of financial support of Rs 1.4 crore (up to Rs 20 lakh - grant support of Rs 18 lakh and technical support of Rs two lakh per start-up). Additionally, the start-ups will also get support in capacity building, business planning, mentorship, and peer learning, focussed towards the implementation of go-to-market strategies.

Commenting on the programme, Jenaan Lilani Bhargava, COO of 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 and Chief Policy Officer of 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.”