Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is an independent non-profit organization established in 1999 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. It is dedicated to enhancing the lives of children living in urban poverty worldwide. The foundation operates offices in New Delhi, India, and Cape Town, South Africa, and focuses on initiatives that promote high-quality public education, childhood health, and economic stability for impoverished families. Initially concentrated on Central Texas, the foundation has since broadened its scope to address children's issues on a national and global scale. With a commitment of over $915 million to date, the foundation aims to create measurable and transformative outcomes for children in need.

Geeta Goel

Country Director

Rahil Rangwala

Director, India Programs

Rakesh Goyal

Director

75 past transactions

Eleos Health

Series C in 2025
Eleos Health develops innovative health technology solutions aimed at enhancing decision-making for clinicians in the behavioral health sector. The company's AI-powered Speech-to-Insights system operates during mental health sessions to analyze voice data in real time. By gathering insights on patients through this voice technology, Eleos Health enables clinicians to deliver personalized, efficient, and cost-effective care. The automated nature of the system helps streamline the clinical process, ultimately supporting mental health professionals in providing the necessary care and support for their patients.

Futwork

Series A in 2024
Futwork is an outsourcing platform that focuses on creating flexible work opportunities through micro-jobs, primarily targeting students. By connecting them with various companies, Futwork allows students to earn money while contributing to the companies' goals in marketing, operations, research, and sales. The platform leverages technology to efficiently train and deploy tele-callers to meet the on-demand needs of organizations. This innovative approach not only provides students with valuable work experience but also supports businesses in achieving their objectives through a distributed workforce.

Arthan Finance

Series B in 2024
Arthan Finance is a non-banking financial company (NBFC) focused on supporting self-employed nano and micro-entrepreneurs, particularly in small cities across India. The company offers a range of financial products, including growth capital, secured and unsecured loans, and supply chain finance. By providing these financial services, Arthan Finance aims to empower self-employed individuals and micro-enterprises, facilitating their access to affordable funding solutions that can foster business growth and development.

Convegenius

Series A in 2024
ConveGenius is a social enterprise focused on creating sustainable educational impact through its technology platforms. It offers personalized and adaptive learning solutions via its PAL platform, which tailors content to meet the unique needs of individual students. The platform incorporates gamification and adaptive analytics, making education more engaging and accessible. Additionally, it provides real-time impact dashboards that deliver valuable data and insights to stakeholders, enhancing decision-making and supporting continuous improvement in educational implementation. ConveGenius aims to leverage conversational AI and big data analytics to drive meaningful change in emerging markets, ultimately facilitating affordable access to formal education for learners.

Airblack

Series B in 2023
Airblack Inc, founded in 2019 and based in Gurugram, India, operates as a multifaceted platform focused on empowering individuals to transform their passions into sustainable livelihoods. The company offers interactive workshops and online courses that equip users with essential skills, insights, and best practices necessary for advancing their careers in various fields. In addition to its educational offerings, Airblack also serves as a booking platform for travelers, providing trip planning suggestions to enhance the travel experience. Through its commitment to fostering a community of internet-first creators, Airblack aims to support millions in their journey toward online entrepreneurship.

JOBJACK

Seed Round in 2023
JOBJACK is an online platform bridging the gap between job seekers and job providers by creating access and automating the entire entry-level recruitment process.

CredRight

Venture Round in 2023
CredRight is a data-driven lending platform that provides unsecured loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises through partnerships with non-banking financial companies and banks. The platform streamlines the loan application process, allowing users to register online, upload necessary documents, and apply for loans quickly and easily from anywhere. This efficient approach enables small businesses to access collateral-free working capital, significantly reducing the time required to secure funding.

SweepSouth

Series B in 2022
SweepSouth is an online home services platform that connects homeowners with trusted service professionals across four countries. The platform offers a convenient way to book a range of services, including home cleaning, gardening, pool cleaning, heavy lifting, and maintenance, all accessible through a phone, tablet, or computer. By providing a user-friendly interface, SweepSouth enables clients to quickly find suitable pre-vetted professionals. The company aims to modernize the home services industry in Africa, focusing on creating positive experiences for both customers and service providers. With a mission to foster happy homes, SweepSouth prioritizes offering dignified and flexible work opportunities at fair compensation for its service providers, serving thousands of satisfied customers monthly.

Awign

Series B in 2022
Awign is a work fulfillment platform based in Bangalore, India, that specializes in providing a gig workforce and last-mile delivery services across various sectors, including education technology, hospitality, e-commerce, mobility, information technology, and financial technology. Founded in 2016 by IIT alumni Annanya Sarthak, Gurpreet Singh, and Praveen Sah, Awign offers a range of on-the-ground services such as auditing, assessments, proctoring, and business development for notable clients like Swiggy, ITC, and Bigbasket. The platform also addresses issues of unemployment and underemployment by offering work opportunities to college students, graduates, and women re-entering the workforce. Additionally, Awign focuses on skill development by providing internships and training programs that enhance professional skills in areas such as digital marketing and application development, enabling candidates to meet the demands of the job market while allowing companies to outsource tasks cost-effectively.

Kaleidofin

Series B in 2022
Kaleidofin is a fintech platform focused on providing comprehensive financial solutions to under-banked individuals and households. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the platform aims to help customers achieve their financial goals by offering tailored services that address the specific challenges faced by this demographic, such as volatile income and limited financial literacy. By creating individual profiles based on various data sources, Kaleidofin customizes its offerings to meet the unique needs of each customer. The platform also emphasizes goal-based financial planning, enabling users to save and invest effectively despite financial uncertainties. Through the use of analytics and user-centered design, Kaleidofin strives to improve financial outcomes for its clients.

Kaleidofin

Series B in 2022
Kaleidofin is a fintech platform focused on providing comprehensive financial solutions to under-banked individuals and households. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the platform aims to help customers achieve their financial goals by offering tailored services that address the specific challenges faced by this demographic, such as volatile income and limited financial literacy. By creating individual profiles based on various data sources, Kaleidofin customizes its offerings to meet the unique needs of each customer. The platform also emphasizes goal-based financial planning, enabling users to save and invest effectively despite financial uncertainties. Through the use of analytics and user-centered design, Kaleidofin strives to improve financial outcomes for its clients.

Arthan Finance

Seed Round in 2022
Arthan Finance is a non-banking financial company (NBFC) focused on supporting self-employed nano and micro-entrepreneurs, particularly in small cities across India. The company offers a range of financial products, including growth capital, secured and unsecured loans, and supply chain finance. By providing these financial services, Arthan Finance aims to empower self-employed individuals and micro-enterprises, facilitating their access to affordable funding solutions that can foster business growth and development.

Convegenius

Seed Round in 2021
ConveGenius is a social enterprise focused on creating sustainable educational impact through its technology platforms. It offers personalized and adaptive learning solutions via its PAL platform, which tailors content to meet the unique needs of individual students. The platform incorporates gamification and adaptive analytics, making education more engaging and accessible. Additionally, it provides real-time impact dashboards that deliver valuable data and insights to stakeholders, enhancing decision-making and supporting continuous improvement in educational implementation. ConveGenius aims to leverage conversational AI and big data analytics to drive meaningful change in emerging markets, ultimately facilitating affordable access to formal education for learners.

DigsConnect.com

Grant in 2021
DigsConnect is the largest student accommodation marketplace ion the African continent, with dual headquarters in Cape Town and London. They list 1.3 million beds worldwide and have connected more than 88 000 landlords and students since launching in January 2018. Their vision is to create a self sustaining community of people listing and finding safe accommodation options close to places of learning, and a place where lifelong friendships are made.

New Apprenticeship

Seed Round in 2021
New Apprenticeship offers a comprehensive 15-month tech apprenticeship program aimed at equipping recent graduates with essential skills for the workforce. The program combines experience-based learning with performance coaching to prepare participants for careers in technology. By focusing on practical skills development, New Apprenticeship not only enhances the employability of its graduates but also supplies employers with qualified and capable talent. This approach fosters a mutually beneficial relationship between job seekers and employers, ensuring that participants thrive in their careers while meeting the demands of the tech industry.

Blowhorn

Venture Round in 2021
Blowhorn is India's leading intracity logistics provider. We operate in multiple cities and offer forward, reverse logistics for first, middle and last mile within cities

Enguru

Seed Round in 2021
Kings Learning is an ed-tech startup funded by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation & Village. Kings Learning aims to provide employability focused English language and communication skills training through innovative technology products. Kings Learning's flagship product, the enguru Spoken English app, already has over 28 lakhs users. Available in 28 languages, enguru teaches you English in mother tongue right from the basics up to more complex industry-specific functional English that improves your employability. Kings Learning runs various app-based and teacher-led programs for corporates, government schools and colleges and training institutes pan India.

Kinara Capital

Private Equity Round in 2021
Kinara Capital is a financing company based in Bengaluru, India, that specializes in providing flexible collateral-free loans to small business entrepreneurs. Founded in 2011 by Hardika Shah, the company primarily targets growing businesses that need funding for working capital, capital assets, and startup expenses. Its lending portfolio encompasses various industries, including agri-products, handicrafts, water, food, and energy. Kinara Capital aims to bridge the gap between microfinance and commercial capital by offering loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to 15 lakh to micro and small enterprises. The company is recognized for its personalized customer service and rapid loan processing, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance its offerings. Kinara Capital has received accolades such as being named 'Bank of the Year-Asia' by the IFC/World Bank in 2019 and being listed among the Top 100 High-Growth Companies in the Asia-Pacific by the Financial Times.

Avanti Finance

Debt Financing in 2021
Avanti Platform is an open-access digital financial spine, flexible enough for users and partners to create, curate and deploy the financial products

Awign

Series B in 2020
Awign is a work fulfillment platform based in Bangalore, India, that specializes in providing a gig workforce and last-mile delivery services across various sectors, including education technology, hospitality, e-commerce, mobility, information technology, and financial technology. Founded in 2016 by IIT alumni Annanya Sarthak, Gurpreet Singh, and Praveen Sah, Awign offers a range of on-the-ground services such as auditing, assessments, proctoring, and business development for notable clients like Swiggy, ITC, and Bigbasket. The platform also addresses issues of unemployment and underemployment by offering work opportunities to college students, graduates, and women re-entering the workforce. Additionally, Awign focuses on skill development by providing internships and training programs that enhance professional skills in areas such as digital marketing and application development, enabling candidates to meet the demands of the job market while allowing companies to outsource tasks cost-effectively.

Nepris

Series A in 2020
Nepris is a cloud-based platform that connects industry professionals with K-16 classrooms, adult job seekers and out of school youth to bring real world relevance and career exposure to all learners. Nepris matches the skills of working professionals to learning objectives and virtually connects them with students to bring abstract lessons to life, offer project mentoring and evaluation, virtual tours, mock interviews and virtual work place experiences. Nepris makes it easy for educators to leverage industry connections to bring real world knowledge and skills to students, while providing a reliable platform for companies and regional intermediaries (like workforce boards, chamber, STEM hubs) to easily and effectively engage current workforce with the future workforce.

SalesKen

Series A in 2020
SalesKen is a conversational intelligence platform designed to enhance the effectiveness of sales teams by providing insights into customer interactions. The platform analyzes sales conversations and offers real-time guidance to sales representatives, helping them improve their performance and increase revenue per representative. By identifying gaps in sales calls, SalesKen enables teams to engage more effectively with customers, ultimately reducing acquisition costs. The platform is utilized by major companies across various sectors, including education, finance, and software, and includes features such as vocational skills training and career counseling. This comprehensive approach not only aids in communication during calls and presentations but also equips sales teams with customized learning content to enhance their skills and employability in diverse industries.

iMerit

Series B in 2020
iMerit is an AI data solutions company that specializes in providing high-quality data for machine learning and artificial intelligence applications across various sectors. The company focuses on data labeling technologies and services, catering to industries such as agricultural AI, autonomous vehicles, commerce, geospatial, government, financial services, and medical AI. Headquartered in San Jose, California, iMerit employs over 5,000 staff members, with a significant representation of women in its workforce. The company operates teams in India, the United States, Bhutan, and Europe, ensuring a diverse and skilled talent pool. Founded by Radha Basu, iMerit serves Fortune 500 companies, helping them achieve optimal results from their algorithms through enriched and accurately labeled data.

Awign

Series A in 2019
Awign is a work fulfillment platform based in Bangalore, India, that specializes in providing a gig workforce and last-mile delivery services across various sectors, including education technology, hospitality, e-commerce, mobility, information technology, and financial technology. Founded in 2016 by IIT alumni Annanya Sarthak, Gurpreet Singh, and Praveen Sah, Awign offers a range of on-the-ground services such as auditing, assessments, proctoring, and business development for notable clients like Swiggy, ITC, and Bigbasket. The platform also addresses issues of unemployment and underemployment by offering work opportunities to college students, graduates, and women re-entering the workforce. Additionally, Awign focuses on skill development by providing internships and training programs that enhance professional skills in areas such as digital marketing and application development, enabling candidates to meet the demands of the job market while allowing companies to outsource tasks cost-effectively.

SweepSouth

Venture Round in 2019
SweepSouth is an online home services platform that connects homeowners with trusted service professionals across four countries. The platform offers a convenient way to book a range of services, including home cleaning, gardening, pool cleaning, heavy lifting, and maintenance, all accessible through a phone, tablet, or computer. By providing a user-friendly interface, SweepSouth enables clients to quickly find suitable pre-vetted professionals. The company aims to modernize the home services industry in Africa, focusing on creating positive experiences for both customers and service providers. With a mission to foster happy homes, SweepSouth prioritizes offering dignified and flexible work opportunities at fair compensation for its service providers, serving thousands of satisfied customers monthly.

Blowhorn

Debt Financing in 2019
Blowhorn is India's leading intracity logistics provider. We operate in multiple cities and offer forward, reverse logistics for first, middle and last mile within cities

Kinara Capital

Private Equity Round in 2019
Kinara Capital is a financing company based in Bengaluru, India, that specializes in providing flexible collateral-free loans to small business entrepreneurs. Founded in 2011 by Hardika Shah, the company primarily targets growing businesses that need funding for working capital, capital assets, and startup expenses. Its lending portfolio encompasses various industries, including agri-products, handicrafts, water, food, and energy. Kinara Capital aims to bridge the gap between microfinance and commercial capital by offering loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to 15 lakh to micro and small enterprises. The company is recognized for its personalized customer service and rapid loan processing, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance its offerings. Kinara Capital has received accolades such as being named 'Bank of the Year-Asia' by the IFC/World Bank in 2019 and being listed among the Top 100 High-Growth Companies in the Asia-Pacific by the Financial Times.

Eduvanz

Seed Round in 2019
Eduvanz is a fintech Non-banking Finance Company for students seeking financial assistance. Its platform collaborates with various educational institutes to offer unsecured loan products that can be availed through a quick and easy online process that pr pupils and academic aspirants with transparent and secure financial assistance to make education universally accessible.

Shiksha Finance

Private Equity Round in 2019
Shiksha Finance is a RBI licensed Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) that specializes in providing loans in the education sector. The company's primary focus is on supporting education entrepreneurs who aim to enhance access to quality education, particularly for middle and low-income communities. These entrepreneurs often face financial challenges that hinder their ability to expand school infrastructure and acquire necessary academic resources. Shiksha Finance addresses this gap by offering loans for asset creation, working capital, and school fees, enabling educational institutions to improve their facilities and services. In doing so, the company plays a crucial role in fostering better educational outcomes for children in underserved areas.

Enguru

Venture Round in 2018
Kings Learning is an ed-tech startup funded by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation & Village. Kings Learning aims to provide employability focused English language and communication skills training through innovative technology products. Kings Learning's flagship product, the enguru Spoken English app, already has over 28 lakhs users. Available in 28 languages, enguru teaches you English in mother tongue right from the basics up to more complex industry-specific functional English that improves your employability. Kings Learning runs various app-based and teacher-led programs for corporates, government schools and colleges and training institutes pan India.

IMAX Program

Venture Round in 2018
IMAX Program is a data driven personalization education product that builds learning genome using school assessments.

BetterLesson

Series B in 2017
BetterLesson, Inc. is a professional development platform aimed at K-12 educators, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and established in 2008. The platform connects teachers with personal coaches to establish professional development goals and create tailored learning plans. BetterLesson offers a searchable database that allows users to access lesson plans, classroom materials, and various instructional resources. The company emphasizes research-based professional development focused on enhancing student outcomes, equipping educators with the skills to foster meaningful, student-centered learning experiences. Its offerings include defined learning pathways, self-directed courses, in-depth workshops, and personalized coaching, all designed to support strategic learning initiatives within educational districts and improve teaching effectiveness and student performance.

Kinara Capital

Series C in 2017
Kinara Capital is a financing company based in Bengaluru, India, that specializes in providing flexible collateral-free loans to small business entrepreneurs. Founded in 2011 by Hardika Shah, the company primarily targets growing businesses that need funding for working capital, capital assets, and startup expenses. Its lending portfolio encompasses various industries, including agri-products, handicrafts, water, food, and energy. Kinara Capital aims to bridge the gap between microfinance and commercial capital by offering loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to 15 lakh to micro and small enterprises. The company is recognized for its personalized customer service and rapid loan processing, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance its offerings. Kinara Capital has received accolades such as being named 'Bank of the Year-Asia' by the IFC/World Bank in 2019 and being listed among the Top 100 High-Growth Companies in the Asia-Pacific by the Financial Times.

Kinara Capital

Private Equity Round in 2017
Kinara Capital is a financing company based in Bengaluru, India, that specializes in providing flexible collateral-free loans to small business entrepreneurs. Founded in 2011 by Hardika Shah, the company primarily targets growing businesses that need funding for working capital, capital assets, and startup expenses. Its lending portfolio encompasses various industries, including agri-products, handicrafts, water, food, and energy. Kinara Capital aims to bridge the gap between microfinance and commercial capital by offering loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to 15 lakh to micro and small enterprises. The company is recognized for its personalized customer service and rapid loan processing, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance its offerings. Kinara Capital has received accolades such as being named 'Bank of the Year-Asia' by the IFC/World Bank in 2019 and being listed among the Top 100 High-Growth Companies in the Asia-Pacific by the Financial Times.

Varthana

Grant in 2017
Varthana is a financial services company focused on enhancing private education in India by providing tailored financial solutions to low-cost private schools. It partners with education entrepreneurs dedicated to improving access to high-quality education in low-income communities. Varthana offers both secured and unsecured loans designed for various projects, including infrastructure renovations, library and playground additions, laboratory upgrades, smart classroom technology, teacher training programs, and transportation services like school buses. Through its support, Varthana aims to empower private schools to better serve students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, thereby contributing to the overall improvement of educational facilities in the region.

Nepris

Seed Round in 2017
Nepris is a cloud-based platform that connects industry professionals with K-16 classrooms, adult job seekers and out of school youth to bring real world relevance and career exposure to all learners. Nepris matches the skills of working professionals to learning objectives and virtually connects them with students to bring abstract lessons to life, offer project mentoring and evaluation, virtual tours, mock interviews and virtual work place experiences. Nepris makes it easy for educators to leverage industry connections to bring real world knowledge and skills to students, while providing a reliable platform for companies and regional intermediaries (like workforce boards, chamber, STEM hubs) to easily and effectively engage current workforce with the future workforce.

NEST Education

Venture Round in 2017
NEST Education operates high quality Knowledge-Centers , catering to the knowledge demand of low and middle income group population of urban India. They use technology platforms to provide access to world class content to their students through different media such as Tablets and Interactive Screens. They believe that the best way to transform young lives with knowledge and education is to tap them early, and their programs start for children aged 6 years and above.

Enguru

Seed Round in 2017
Kings Learning is an ed-tech startup funded by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation & Village. Kings Learning aims to provide employability focused English language and communication skills training through innovative technology products. Kings Learning's flagship product, the enguru Spoken English app, already has over 28 lakhs users. Available in 28 languages, enguru teaches you English in mother tongue right from the basics up to more complex industry-specific functional English that improves your employability. Kings Learning runs various app-based and teacher-led programs for corporates, government schools and colleges and training institutes pan India.

Blowhorn

Series A in 2017
Blowhorn is India's leading intracity logistics provider. We operate in multiple cities and offer forward, reverse logistics for first, middle and last mile within cities

Selectjobs

Seed Round in 2017
SelectJobs is a provider of jobs for candidates at the bottom of the pyramid typical positions are delivery boys, sales, retail, insurance, electricians, plumber, mason etc. They aggregate jobs from several companies in India and the Middle-East and provide these as job opportunities to disadvantaged and economically-backward youth.

Chippersage Education

Seed Round in 2017
Chipper Sage aspires to be among the best companies in the business of providing research critical products which facilitate easier learning of difficult concepts for children. Our beneficiaries are children in the age group 2 yrs - 14 yrs. With our products, we want to make the process of learning not just fast and effective but essentially - very interesting, joyful and experiential. We dream of doing that across a wide set of knowledge areas.

Skillveri

Series A in 2017
Skillveri specializes in developing innovative training simulators aimed at enhancing practical vocational skill training in sectors such as welding, spray painting, and blasting. The company's flagship product, AURA, is an award-winning welding simulator that addresses the shortage of skilled welders in India by providing an effective training solution. Skillveri's simulators not only facilitate hands-on learning but also allow users to understand their mistakes and their impact on output quality. This approach enables companies and vocational training institutes to deliver training more efficiently and at significantly lower costs, making Skillveri a valuable partner in the manufacturing sector's quest for skilled labor.

Shiksha Finance

Series A in 2017
Shiksha Finance is a RBI licensed Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) that specializes in providing loans in the education sector. The company's primary focus is on supporting education entrepreneurs who aim to enhance access to quality education, particularly for middle and low-income communities. These entrepreneurs often face financial challenges that hinder their ability to expand school infrastructure and acquire necessary academic resources. Shiksha Finance addresses this gap by offering loans for asset creation, working capital, and school fees, enabling educational institutions to improve their facilities and services. In doing so, the company plays a crucial role in fostering better educational outcomes for children in underserved areas.

MasteryConnect

Series C in 2016
MasteryConnect is an educational technology company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. It offers a comprehensive assessment and curriculum platform that supports educators in identifying student understanding, targeting interventions, and personalizing learning experiences. The platform enables teachers to conduct various formative and benchmark assessments, automates grading, and facilitates the monitoring of student performance against core standards. By leveraging data, MasteryConnect empowers educators to evaluate their teaching practices and communicate effectively with parents and administrators, ultimately driving student growth and success.

OnlineTyari

Series A in 2016
OnlineTyari is a web and mobile app platform delivering educational contents, mock tests and guidance for students and job aspirants preparing for various exams in India. The company has partnered with various educational institutions, coaching institutes and individual tutors who provide quality material for various examinations like IBPS, SSC, UPSC, GATE, etc. OnlineTyari android app is one of top apps in education category with a download base of more than 2.5 million. The company also has a window phone app which has been topping the education category on windows app store.

Nepris

Seed Round in 2016
Nepris is a cloud-based platform that connects industry professionals with K-16 classrooms, adult job seekers and out of school youth to bring real world relevance and career exposure to all learners. Nepris matches the skills of working professionals to learning objectives and virtually connects them with students to bring abstract lessons to life, offer project mentoring and evaluation, virtual tours, mock interviews and virtual work place experiences. Nepris makes it easy for educators to leverage industry connections to bring real world knowledge and skills to students, while providing a reliable platform for companies and regional intermediaries (like workforce boards, chamber, STEM hubs) to easily and effectively engage current workforce with the future workforce.

Convegenius

Seed Round in 2016
ConveGenius is a social enterprise focused on creating sustainable educational impact through its technology platforms. It offers personalized and adaptive learning solutions via its PAL platform, which tailors content to meet the unique needs of individual students. The platform incorporates gamification and adaptive analytics, making education more engaging and accessible. Additionally, it provides real-time impact dashboards that deliver valuable data and insights to stakeholders, enhancing decision-making and supporting continuous improvement in educational implementation. ConveGenius aims to leverage conversational AI and big data analytics to drive meaningful change in emerging markets, ultimately facilitating affordable access to formal education for learners.

Jefferson Education Accelerator

Grant in 2016
The Jefferson Education Accelerator (JEA) brings together world-class researchers and promising education technology companies to identify solutions that are having a positive impact on student outcomes. Unlike other ed tech accelerators that focus on early-stage startups, JEA targets growth stage education companies, and provides them with business mentorship, access to a network of forward-thinking K-12 and higher education institutions, and the opportunity to work with leading researchers and practitioners to evaluate the efficacy of their products and tools. Through the Jefferson Education Fund, JEA also provides access to investment capital for select ventures in promising companies that show good results.

BetterLesson

Series A in 2016
BetterLesson, Inc. is a professional development platform aimed at K-12 educators, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and established in 2008. The platform connects teachers with personal coaches to establish professional development goals and create tailored learning plans. BetterLesson offers a searchable database that allows users to access lesson plans, classroom materials, and various instructional resources. The company emphasizes research-based professional development focused on enhancing student outcomes, equipping educators with the skills to foster meaningful, student-centered learning experiences. Its offerings include defined learning pathways, self-directed courses, in-depth workshops, and personalized coaching, all designed to support strategic learning initiatives within educational districts and improve teaching effectiveness and student performance.

iSTAR

Series A in 2015
iSTAR provides training to better equip college graduates with critical success skillsets required for business and commerce graduates to immediately be employable in their specialty upon graduation.

iMerit

Series A in 2015
iMerit is an AI data solutions company that specializes in providing high-quality data for machine learning and artificial intelligence applications across various sectors. The company focuses on data labeling technologies and services, catering to industries such as agricultural AI, autonomous vehicles, commerce, geospatial, government, financial services, and medical AI. Headquartered in San Jose, California, iMerit employs over 5,000 staff members, with a significant representation of women in its workforce. The company operates teams in India, the United States, Bhutan, and Europe, ensuring a diverse and skilled talent pool. Founded by Radha Basu, iMerit serves Fortune 500 companies, helping them achieve optimal results from their algorithms through enriched and accurately labeled data.

Gray Matters India

Seed Round in 2015
Gray Matters specializes in educational assessments and analytics, focusing on early childhood and impact assessments as well as competitive evaluations. The company aims to enhance the educational landscape by developing individual growth plans for primary and secondary school students. Utilizing contemporary measurement techniques, Gray Matters provides actionable insights tailored to the diverse educational needs in India. Their methodology includes conducting parent surveys and actively seeking client feedback, which enables schools to leverage data for improving educational quality and outcomes. By emphasizing the importance of data and evaluations, Gray Matters seeks to unlock the potential of millions of children and prepare them for future success.

Villgro Innovation Marketing

Series A in 2015
IMPL has created and proved a unique distribution model which reaches inside villages through VLEs (Village Level Entrepreneurs). The VLE model has created viable businesses even in smaller villages. The process of participative product testing and evaluation by end users in actual field conditions makes adoption quick and cost effective. Focusing on rural households as a unit and building a product portfolio to meet the multiple needs of a family and enterprise has created a viable business proposition for small entrepreneurs in the village.

BASIX Sub-K iTransactions

Seed Round in 2014
Sub-K means "for everyone" in Hindi language and below "one thousand" in English , indicating touch points within 1,000 meters distance, offering transactions of less than 1,000 rupees , providing access to less than 1,000 households at a cost of 1,000 paisa. Basix Sub-K iTransactions Ltd., is a subsidiary company under BASIX Social Enterprise Group, started in 2010 with a vision to provide technology enabled transactional platform to the unbanked population. Sub-K operates, manages, and controls inclusive transactions on end-to-end basis through recruiting, training and equipping local entrepreneurs as Business Correspondent agents who serve as human ATMs at the last mile of connectivity between the Bank and the end consumer, through mobile/kiosk based technology. Sub-K creates a self-propagating eco-system for profitability and sustainability of the BC sub-agent, Bank, and Sub-K, ultimately serving the customers with real time banking and non-banking solutions. Sub-K is a service company that offers affordable, accessible and scalable digital payment solutions to the BoP segment in rural and urban areas and seeks to bridge the digital divide and create a “financially included society”. Any customer with a bank account can walk into these BC outlets and avail banking services - cash deposit, cash withdrawal, remittance, fund transfer, balance enquiry, mini statement, loan repayment etc. Basix Sub-K facilitates business of micro-entrepreneurs through microcredit, insurance, pensions, farm loans, personal loans, vehicle loans. Government payments to citizens, Aadhaar card, PAN card services are also facilitated at some of these outlets. Non-banking services are also offered for enhancing the income of the BC agent and offer convenience to customers.

Ashv Finance

Series B in 2014
Ashv Finance Limited is a non-banking finance company based in Mumbai, India, focused on providing tailored debt financing solutions to small and growing businesses, particularly those categorized as 'missing middle' enterprises. Established in 1998 and formerly known as Jain Sons Finlease Limited, the company specializes in offering collateral-free working capital loans and supply chain financing, including bill discounting loans targeted at sectors such as agriculture, clean energy, education, financial inclusion, healthcare, and water sanitation. Ashv Finance emphasizes support for early-stage, high-growth businesses by evaluating loan eligibility based on business cash flows rather than traditional collateral requirements. In addition to lending from its own resources, the company also arranges and syndicates debt from other sources, positioning itself as a comprehensive debt solutions provider for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India.

MasteryConnect

Series A in 2014
MasteryConnect is an educational technology company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. It offers a comprehensive assessment and curriculum platform that supports educators in identifying student understanding, targeting interventions, and personalizing learning experiences. The platform enables teachers to conduct various formative and benchmark assessments, automates grading, and facilitates the monitoring of student performance against core standards. By leveraging data, MasteryConnect empowers educators to evaluate their teaching practices and communicate effectively with parents and administrators, ultimately driving student growth and success.

Gray Matters India

Pre Seed Round in 2014
Gray Matters specializes in educational assessments and analytics, focusing on early childhood and impact assessments as well as competitive evaluations. The company aims to enhance the educational landscape by developing individual growth plans for primary and secondary school students. Utilizing contemporary measurement techniques, Gray Matters provides actionable insights tailored to the diverse educational needs in India. Their methodology includes conducting parent surveys and actively seeking client feedback, which enables schools to leverage data for improving educational quality and outcomes. By emphasizing the importance of data and evaluations, Gray Matters seeks to unlock the potential of millions of children and prepare them for future success.

Arohan Financial

Venture Round in 2013
Arohan Financial Services Limited is a non-banking financial company based in Kolkata, India, specializing in microfinance and a variety of financial services tailored for economically active women and low-income individuals. The company provides microloans ranging from INR 10,000 to INR 100 lakh, catering to shopkeepers and individuals in underserved areas. Its product offerings include loans for sanitation construction, solar energy, mobile, and cycles, alongside group term life insurance and hospi-cash products. Arohan also supports micro, small, and medium enterprises by offering working capital facilities, merchant cash advances, and services for online businesses. Established in 1991, Arohan operates 711 branches across India, collaborating with local partners to enhance its outreach in remote regions.

Micro Housing Finance Corporation

Private Equity Round in 2013
Micro Housing Finance Corporation Limited, established in 2008 and based in Mumbai, India, focuses on providing housing finance solutions to lower-income households, particularly those in the informal sector. The company addresses the critical issue of inadequate financing options for these families, many of whom lack the necessary documentation to verify their incomes. By offering tailored housing finance products, MHFC aims to empower low-income families to purchase homes, thereby facilitating the development of affordable housing in urban areas. The organization has obtained regulatory clearance from the National Housing Bank, underscoring its commitment to operating within the legal framework of the housing finance sector in India.

Ashv Finance

Series A in 2013
Ashv Finance Limited is a non-banking finance company based in Mumbai, India, focused on providing tailored debt financing solutions to small and growing businesses, particularly those categorized as 'missing middle' enterprises. Established in 1998 and formerly known as Jain Sons Finlease Limited, the company specializes in offering collateral-free working capital loans and supply chain financing, including bill discounting loans targeted at sectors such as agriculture, clean energy, education, financial inclusion, healthcare, and water sanitation. Ashv Finance emphasizes support for early-stage, high-growth businesses by evaluating loan eligibility based on business cash flows rather than traditional collateral requirements. In addition to lending from its own resources, the company also arranges and syndicates debt from other sources, positioning itself as a comprehensive debt solutions provider for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India.

MasteryConnect

Series A in 2013
MasteryConnect is an educational technology company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. It offers a comprehensive assessment and curriculum platform that supports educators in identifying student understanding, targeting interventions, and personalizing learning experiences. The platform enables teachers to conduct various formative and benchmark assessments, automates grading, and facilitates the monitoring of student performance against core standards. By leveraging data, MasteryConnect empowers educators to evaluate their teaching practices and communicate effectively with parents and administrators, ultimately driving student growth and success.

GRAS Academy

Seed Round in 2011
GRAS Academy is a vocational and employability training company. It also offers vocational training courses on mobile repairing, accounting software, hardware, entrepreneurship development, corporate capacity development training, and institutional training for professional development.

Kaivalya Education Foundation

Grant in 2011
Kaivalya Education Foundation is a behavior change and systems transformation organization tackling the most difficult issues in the educational system. It creates and implements technological and structural procedures, and it develops the leadership skills of students, educators, and community school heads.

Swadhaar FinServe

Venture Round in 2010
Swadhaar FinServe, based in Mumbai, is dedicated to providing financial services to economically vulnerable and underserved households and businesses in urban areas. As a pioneer in individual lending within the Indian context, the company focuses on delivering microcredit effectively, even in challenging urban environments. Swadhaar FinServe offers a range of services, including individual and business loans, insurance, and financial education, aimed at helping clients achieve financial security and fulfill their aspirations. With Mumbai housing one of the largest populations of urban poor, the company's success has the potential to impact millions and establish a scalable lending model for other major cities. Swadhaar FinServe operates as a for-profit entity associated with Swadhaar FinAccess, which is a non-profit organization.

Arohan Financial

Venture Round in 2010
Arohan Financial Services Limited is a non-banking financial company based in Kolkata, India, specializing in microfinance and a variety of financial services tailored for economically active women and low-income individuals. The company provides microloans ranging from INR 10,000 to INR 100 lakh, catering to shopkeepers and individuals in underserved areas. Its product offerings include loans for sanitation construction, solar energy, mobile, and cycles, alongside group term life insurance and hospi-cash products. Arohan also supports micro, small, and medium enterprises by offering working capital facilities, merchant cash advances, and services for online businesses. Established in 1991, Arohan operates 711 branches across India, collaborating with local partners to enhance its outreach in remote regions.

Ujjivan

Seed Round in 2008
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited is a banking institution in India that focuses on serving financially unserved and underserved segments, with a commitment to enhancing financial inclusion. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Bengaluru, the bank operates through Treasury, Retail Banking, and Corporate/Wholesale Banking segments. It offers a wide range of banking products, including savings and current accounts, various deposit schemes, and an extensive suite of loan products. These loans cater to diverse needs, such as group loans for business, education, and agriculture, individual loans, housing loans, and loans for micro and small enterprises. The bank also provides mobile, phone, and online banking services, along with debit cards and various insurance products. As of March 31, 2020, Ujjivan operated 575 banking outlets and 475 ATMs across India. It is a subsidiary of Ujjivan Financial Services Limited, which began as a non-banking financial company in 2005, dedicated to serving the economically active poor.

Ujjivan

Venture Round in 2008
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited is a banking institution in India that focuses on serving financially unserved and underserved segments, with a commitment to enhancing financial inclusion. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Bengaluru, the bank operates through Treasury, Retail Banking, and Corporate/Wholesale Banking segments. It offers a wide range of banking products, including savings and current accounts, various deposit schemes, and an extensive suite of loan products. These loans cater to diverse needs, such as group loans for business, education, and agriculture, individual loans, housing loans, and loans for micro and small enterprises. The bank also provides mobile, phone, and online banking services, along with debit cards and various insurance products. As of March 31, 2020, Ujjivan operated 575 banking outlets and 475 ATMs across India. It is a subsidiary of Ujjivan Financial Services Limited, which began as a non-banking financial company in 2005, dedicated to serving the economically active poor.

Arohan Financial

Venture Round in 2008
Arohan Financial Services Limited is a non-banking financial company based in Kolkata, India, specializing in microfinance and a variety of financial services tailored for economically active women and low-income individuals. The company provides microloans ranging from INR 10,000 to INR 100 lakh, catering to shopkeepers and individuals in underserved areas. Its product offerings include loans for sanitation construction, solar energy, mobile, and cycles, alongside group term life insurance and hospi-cash products. Arohan also supports micro, small, and medium enterprises by offering working capital facilities, merchant cash advances, and services for online businesses. Established in 1991, Arohan operates 711 branches across India, collaborating with local partners to enhance its outreach in remote regions.

Jana Small Finance Bank

Series A in 2008
Jana Small Finance Bank Limited is a banking institution based in Bengaluru, India, that offers a range of financial products and services aimed at individuals and corporates. The bank operates through four main segments: Treasury, Corporate/Wholesale Banking, Retail Banking, and Other Banking Operations. It provides various banking services including current and savings accounts, fixed and recurring deposits, and a diverse array of loans such as home, gold, agricultural, and business loans. Additionally, Jana Small Finance Bank facilitates online banking, payment services, and debit card issuance. Originally established as Janalakshmi Financial Services in 2006, the bank rebranded in March 2018 to reflect its commitment to financial inclusion and servicing the urban underserved population in India. The institution maintains a strong focus on customer value and integrates technology to enhance its operations and scalability.
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