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Tag: FinancialInclusion

  • HDFC Bank boosts Parivartan Startup Grants with Rs 20 crore

    HDFC Bank boosts Parivartan Startup Grants with Rs 20 crore

    HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector lender, on Monday announced the launch of the FY26 edition of its Parivartan Startup Grants programme, committing Rs 20 crore in non-dilutive grants to boost social impact-driven innovations.

    The initiative will support 10 strategic programmes across key sectors including climate innovation, agriculture and sustainable livelihoods, manufacturing and MSME innovation, financial inclusion, gender diversity and inclusion, as well as emerging fields such as AI and deep technology.

    Grants will primarily fund pilots, validation and early-stage scale-up for selected startups.

    The programme operates on an incubator-led model, with partners handling outreach, evaluation, mentoring and impact reporting. FY26 emphasises deeper sector focus, with collaborations including IIT Madras Incubation Cell for deep-tech, IIM Bangalore-NSRCEL for financial inclusion, and BITS Pilani for climate innovation.

    It also includes ecosystem-building efforts in Punjab and a nationwide incubator capacity programme in partnership with the Indian STEP and Business Incubator Association (ISBA).

    “Parivartan Startup Grants has evolved as a benchmark in the industry that works closely with institutions to support innovation addressing clearly identified social and environmental challenges,” said Kaizad Bharucha, Deputy Managing Director, HDFC Bank.

    Arup Rakshit, Group Head – Treasury, added that the programme provides structured institutional support through leading incubators.

    Since 2017, Parivartan Startup Grants has backed over 500 startups via more than 130 incubators, deploying over Rs 85 crore. Nearly 40% of supported startups are from Tier II and III cities, with supported ventures raising over Rs 900 crore externally.

    Applications will be handled through partner incubators.

  • Indus Towers Digital Van trains 136,525 in seven states

    Indus Towers, one of the world’s largest telecom infrastructure companies, said its Digital Transformation Van (DTV) has provided digital literacy training to 136,525 people from underserved communities across seven states as the country marks 10 years of its Digital India initiative.

    The mobile Digital Transformation Van, part of Indus Towers’ flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program ‘Saksham’, has reached rural and urban slum communities in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, the company said in a statement.

    Launched in 2018 as the DigiShiksha initiative, the Digital Transformation Van program empowers youth, women, senior citizens and farmers with digital literacy, IT skills, cybersecurity awareness and financial education, aligning with the government’s Digital India Mission, according to the announcement.

    “Indus Towers’ DTV is a commitment to inclusive growth and a belief that technology can be a powerful equalizer,” said Neeti Wahi, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Indus Towers. “It is heartening to see over half of our beneficiaries are women.”

    The solar-powered Digital Transformation Van provides free doorstep digital education and public services through a 21-seater mobile classroom equipped with high-speed internet, modern computers, printers and e-learning tools, the company said.

    The Digital Transformation Van initiative is implemented by NIIT Foundation, with expert trainers conducting community awareness sessions on digital safety, environmental conservation and waste management for school children aged 12 and above, women, farmers and senior citizens, according to the statement.

    The Digital Transformation Van program represents Indus Towers’ approach to reaching communities where digital infrastructure and literacy gaps are most pronounced, customizing offerings based on local needs rather than relying on static training centers, the company said.

    Indus Towers operates 256,074 telecom towers across all 22 telecom circles in India, making it one of the country’s largest tower infrastructure providers, according to company information.