CIRCULAR INNOVATION COHORT

The Dignified Jobs Accelerator grew out of Upaya’s experience making impact-first investments in the “missing middle.” We know that attracting the right kind of capital to grow both impact and financial success could be challenging for early-stage businesses.

Our accelerator takes a comprehensive approach to building investment-readiness capacity for each member of the cohort, going beyond pitch decks and investor connections to truly build a business model and narrative that is attractive to investors. We help entrepreneurs scale their businesses as well as their impact, using our unique insights and network.

Upaya Social Ventures is a nonprofit organization, building a dignified economy by providing investment and support to early-stage businesses creating sustainable livelihoods for people living in the most extreme poverty.

Upaya’s award-winning impact-first model seeks out and supports oft-overlooked companies creating work that is safe, stable, inclusive, and rewarding—generating a transformative impact on families, communities, and economies. Since its founding in 2011, Upaya’s portfolio companies have created over 42,000 dignified jobs across India.

Global Business Inroads (GBI) is an international business, tech, and innovation management platform that actively connects new markets, investors, and technology adopters across India, Europe, UK, USA, LATAM, Africa, and Asia. GBI has developed networks and has access to 450+ multipliers, tech, and innovation clusters and investors across 40 countries. 

Over the last 14 years, GBI has supported over 300 institutions, corporates, Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups in internationalisation and soft-landing support, technology validation and business model mentorship, government liaison, and facilitated strategic financing. GBI has developed a proprietary online digital platform for companies, entrepreneurs, SMEs, start-ups, and SGBs called the Global Technology Interface® (GTI®), that showcases innovative technologies, facilitates market linkages, and partnerships globally.

rePurpose Global is a leading Plastic Action Platform that unites brands, consumers, innovators, and policymakers to tackle plastic waste. By offering solutions across the circular economy value chain, rePurpose has helped over 500 companies measure, reduce, and address their plastic footprints. Its Impact Projects have recovered over 70 million pounds of plastic waste, protecting coastal regions in America, Africa, and Asia. Additionally, rePurpose has provided waste management services to over one million people and improved the livelihoods of thousands of marginalized waste workers globally.

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in developing economies. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses (SGBs) based on the conviction that SGBs create jobs, stimulate long-term economic growth, and produce environmental and social benefits.

As the leading global voice of the SGB sector, ANDE believes that SGBs are a powerful, yet underleveraged tool in addressing social and environmental challenges. Since 2009, we have grown into a trusted network of nearly 300 collaborative members that operate in nearly every developing economy. ANDE grows the body of knowledge, mobilizes resources, and connects the institutions that support the small business entrepreneurs who build inclusive prosperity in the developing world.

ANDE is part of the Aspen Institute, a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society.

Funding is not included as part of the accelerator program. However, at the end of the program, Upaya will select up to 3 companies for investment from the Level 2 cohort based on fitment. The Level 2 cohort will also get opportunities to connect with our investment partners and other capital providers.

Circular innovation in plastics, and textiles & fashion waste management refers to solutions that aim to eliminate waste and pollution. These solutions focus on shifting from a linear economy (where products are made, used, and discarded) to a circular economy (where products are reused, repaired, and recycled).

The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on under USD $1.90 per day. We partner with companies creating jobs that are targeted at this extremely poor population. While extreme poverty looks different around the country and the world, what people living in these conditions have in common is their dire economic vulnerability.