Six social ventures including one from Nagaland secure fund at SBI Youth Conclave

April 16, 2025 9 Views No Comment

Guwahati, April 16 (MExN): Six social ventures, including one from Nagaland, secured funding totalling Rs 51 lakh at the recent State Bank of India (SBI) Youth for India (YFI) Conclave 2025 held in Guwahati.

The winners included Ruchinilo Kemp of Kenono Foundation, which received Rs 11 lakh in support funds. According to an official release, the Kenono Foundation is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to conserving forest biodiversity and supporting forest-dependent communities.

Ruchinilo Kemp of Kenono Foundation, which secured support funds at the recent State Bank of India (SBI) Youth for India (YFI) Conclave 2025 held in Guwahati.

Its approach includes funding conservation efforts through community-based enterprises and fostering holistic rural livelihoods for sustainable development. By integrating environmental conservation with community empowerment, the Foundation aims to achieve sustainable development and preserve natural landscapes.

The Conclave was hosted by the SBI Foundation, the public sector bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm. It brought together social entrepreneurs, development sector experts, academicians, and SBI YFI alumni to discuss scalable solutions for rural transformation.

The event was graced by Padmashri Bertha Dkhar, Executive Director, Bethany Society, Shillong, while Sanjay Prakash, MD & CEO, SBI Foundation, Jagannath Sahoo, President & COO, SBI Foundation, and other dignitaries shared valuable insights on youth-driven social innovation and rural development.

According to the press release, over the years, motivated fellows of SBI YFI have initiated transformative projects across thematic areas such as education, alternate energy, women’s empowerment, traditional crafts, environmental sustainability, rural livelihood, water, health, and more.

The 2025 YFI Conclave featured deliberations and impact stories of several such youth-led projects and enterprises that are making a difference at the grassroots.

A key highlight of the event was SBI YFI Sahyog – The Pitch Fest, where ten social enterprises presented their impact-driven ideas, competing for seed funding and mentorship. In a “Shark Tank-like” round, winners were selected by a panel of judges that included Anupam Joshi and Swapnil Sinha.

The six winners will also receive strategic mentorship from the SBI Foundation and industry leaders. In the last four years, SBI YFI Sahyog has supported 24 social ventures with total funding of Rs 1.06 crore.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director & CEO of SBI Foundation, Sanjay Prakash, emphasised the need for young changemakers to lead India’s rural development efforts.

“For over 14 years, the SBI Youth for India Fellowship has been a catalyst for social change, empowering 640 dedicated individuals to co-create sustainable solutions at the grassroots… Our fellows have made a lasting impact across 21 states and union territories, transforming the lives of over 1,50,000 people,” he stated.

“Our goal is to continue bridging gaps, empowering communities, and enabling sustainable progress through collaboration and innovation,” he added.

Details about the SBI Youth for India Fellowship and applications for the 13th Batch can be accessed at www.youthforindia.org/register, the release added.

Name of Alumni	Name of the venture and Description	Amount received (Rs)
Pratibha Krishnaiah and Anvi Mehta	*Himalayan Blooms:* Himalayan Blooms is a women-led, not-for-profit initiative based in Uttarakhand, empowering local women through crochet and knitting. By training rural artisans and connecting them to wider markets, it creates sustainable livelihoods while preserving traditional craft. Each handcrafted product tells a story of resilience, skill, and nature.	11 Lakh
Ruchinilo Kemp	*Kenono Foundation:* The Kenono Foundation, based in Nagaland, India, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving forest biodiversity and supporting forest-dependent communities. Our holistic approach includes funding conservation efforts through community-based enterprises, as well as fostering holistic rural livelihoods for sustainable development. By integrating environmental conservation with community empowerment, we aim to achieve sustainable development and preserve the natural landscapes of our region.	11 Lakh
Teja Sanjay Ghorpade	Be-ecoliteracy Pollinator Conservation and Research Foundation (BEPCoR): BEPCoR is a social enterprise committed to empowering rural and tribal women through sustainable beekeeping, pollinator conservation, and honey-based micro entrepreneurship. We set up decentralized honey processing units, deliver practical training on scientific beekeeping, and facilitate market access for premium, traceable, and ethically sourced honey. Our model not only boosts rural household incomes and fosters women-led enterprises, but also promotes biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture through community-based pollinator conservation efforts.	11 Lakh
Krishna Thiruvengadam Rajagopal	dVerse Technologies Pvt Ltd: It is an immersive edtech ecosystem for visually impaired students, combining bilingual bite-sized lessons with interactive tactile graphics. Powered by a gamified AI tutor app and smart accessibility devices, CuriO makes STEM education engaging and inclusive. We’re closing the learning gap and empowering blind students to learn, explore, and thrive like never before.	8 Lakh
T Sai Krishna	*Fishy Farmers Pvt Ltd:* Fishy Farmers Private Limited is a for-profit venture founded in 2018 to simplify and scale sustainable aquaculture in India. Its patented Auto Pneumatic Bead Filter offers a zero maintenance,energy-efficient solution that improves water quality and reduces mortality in fish farming. With over 70 lakh liters of installed capacity across India, the company supports farmers end-to-end through design, equipment, inputs, and technical services.	8 Lakh
Sachin Korla	UdyamWell: UdyamWell is a tech-enabled platform that serves as a one-stop solution for rural and grassroots enterprises, offering end-to-end support for market linkage, e-commerce readiness, and business growth. By leveraging the ONDC network, UdyamWell enables these enterprises to access wider markets, build digital capabilities, and grow sustainably. The platform also provides personalized handholding, ensuring that SHGs, FPOs, Artisans etc receive continuous guidance and support throughout their digital commerce journey.	8 Lakh