Villgro and Cisco India Cash Grant Program Announces Conclusion Of TVARAN Acceleration Program

Villgro and Cisco India Cash Grant Program has announced the successful conclusion of the TVARAN Acceleration Program. The program was designed to support early-stage women entrepreneurs and amplify the market presence of women-led start-ups in renewable energy, water and waste management, and climate-smart agriculture. 

Renu Swarup, former secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology honoured the first cohort of exceptional start-ups, including Climate Sense, Green Grahi, Green Delight, MOWO Fleet, Swachha Eco Solutions, KNP Arises Green Energy, Bharat Krushi Seva, during the closing event.

During the six months of this acceleration program, these start-ups received invaluable support, including a financial grant of 20 lakh rupees per start-up to execute their Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies. Furthermore, the start-ups also had access to Cisco mentors, who offered expert insights into technology and strategic planning. The program also facilitated connections with market and channel partners, leveraging the extensive networks of both Villgro and CISCO to aid in commercializing and scaling their ventures. In addition, the start-ups were connected with potential investors and venture capitalists to secure funding for their innovative initiatives.  

In just six months, these start-ups have expanded their operations into new geographical areas, experienced substantial revenue growth, secured investments from venture capitalists, and successfully launched commercial pilots of their products in collaboration with various businesses and channel partners. Collectively, the start-ups have raised funding of 3.05 Crore in the form of grants and equity investment. 

While sharing about the achievement of the program, Harish Krishnan, managing director and chief policy officer, Cisco India, and SAARC, shared, "As a technology company, we recognise the tremendous potential of digital technology and the transformative impact of data and emerging technologies. Throughout TVARAN, we observed these attributes playing a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of each start-up." 

Kalyani Krishna, manager of gender inclusion at Villgro, expressed enthusiasm for the successful conclusion of this program, “Villgro has had the privilege of supporting seven women-led start-ups through this initiative. With over two decades of incubation experience, we recognise that start-ups, particularly those led by women, require vital support in terms of market connections and access to finance, and that has been the focal point of our program. This program aligns seamlessly with two of Villgro's core priorities - climate action and gender equality." 

The application for the program, which was initiated in October 2022, received 140 applications from various regions across India. After careful evaluation, 11 start-ups were chosen to receive one month of dedicated support focused on go-to-market strategies and scaling. This support included four essential masterclasses covering topics like finance for scaling, the strategic value of impact data, customer understanding through design thinking, and effective pitch building. By March 2023, an expert Jury evaluated the start-ups on their business, readiness for the market, role of technology, and impact to arrive at the first cohort of 7 start-ups.