Grameen Neev Sustainability Accelerator

A separate accelerator that IKN Innovation Foundation runs with the Grameen Foundation, with its own site and its own application route. It is for social enterprises working in rural and semi-urban India across three tracks: climate action and green livelihoods; health, nutrition and well-being; and digital and financial inclusion. Its pages describe a twelve-month engagement of which six months is the acceleration itself, framed as three months of applications, six months of support and three months of follow-up; the headline on the same site says six months, so check which you are signing up for.

What you get

• A diagnostic assessment of business readiness, leadership capacity and growth gaps
• Capacity-building workshops, including a three-day in-person bootcamp on the business model, financial planning, compliance and go-to-market
• Personalised mentorship from domain experts and industry leaders
• Investor readiness support, including pitch deck preparation and mock pitches
• Market and financial linkages with buyers, partners, lenders and investors
• A demo day with investor connects, and follow-up support afterwards

Who can apply

• Early-stage to growth-stage enterprises, ideally one to three years old
• A working prototype or product, or early market validation
• Some revenue or a clear path to it
• Operating in rural or semi-urban areas, or serving underserved communities
• Working in at least one of the three tracks
• Women-led and women-focused enterprises are encouraged, and a share of each cohort is reserved for them

How selection works: Applications are screened on innovation, impact potential, business viability and team strength. Shortlisted enterprises pitch to a jury of experts before being onboarded into the cohort.

How to apply: Apply on the Grameen Neev site.