AFI Annual Forum
A programme by Action For India
Invite-only two-day forum bringing 100 social innovators together with 100 investors, funders, government and industry people; the 9th has no announced date.
At a glance
| Best for | Social entrepreneurs looking for investor, mentor and government introductions |
|---|---|
| Duration | Two days |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Paid |
About AFI Annual Forum
The Annual Forum is AFI's flagship event and its main route into the network for founders who are not in a cohort. It is invite-only and brings together 100 social innovators with 100 people from impact investment, philanthropy, government, industry and public policy for two days of discussion. Eight forums have been held since 2012. The 9th is announced with the theme "Transforming Lives Through Technology and Collaboration" and sectors covering agriculture, education, livelihoods, health, climate and financial inclusion, but AFI has not announced a date.
Selected startups pay a per-person fee to attend. Founders in AFI's own testimonials credit the forum for investor, mentor and government introductions rather than for money.
What you get
- Introductions across financial, government, human and intellectual capital
- Time with mentors who can advise on scaling and stay involved afterwards
- Keynotes and panels, and pairing with a mentor
- A route into the Silicon Valley trek
- Selected founders also get continued consulting support through AFI's advisory service
How to apply: Use the apply link on the forum page. It is invite-only and a fee applies to selected startups, so confirm both before you plan travel.
Where to apply
Other Action For India programmes
- AFI AI + ClimateTech Cohort 2026-27Online accelerator for founders using AI on climate, energy, water, emissions, waste and mobility problems, open until 1 October 2026.
- AFI Agri + AI Cohort 2026Accelerator for AI-in-agriculture founders; the 2026 cohort is running and applications for it have closed.
- AFI Impact Catalyzer ProgramAFI's general online accelerator for tech-enabled, for-profit social enterprises; between intakes, with its last published cohort in 2024.
- AFI Agri CohortFive-month free accelerator for agritech founders, run twice so far; the last intake closed in August 2025.
- AFI i-TIC Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator (AISEA)Accelerator AFI runs with IIT Hyderabad's i-TIC Foundation, funded by the Department of Science and Technology; two cohorts completed and no current intake published.
- Social Enterprise Advisory Program (SEAS)Paid, cohort-based advisory service covering fundraising, consulting, mentoring and introductions.
- Women in Social Entrepreneurship (WISE)Cohort programme for women-led social enterprises; only the 2021 cohort is published and no current intake is announced.
- Silicon Valley ChallengeAnnual business plan competition that sends selected Indian social enterprises to Silicon Valley for a two-week programme.