Frequently Asked Questions

+ About Upaya Social Ventures

Upaya Social Ventures is fighting extreme poverty through dignified jobs. Founded in 2011, Upaya provides investment and consulting support to early-stage businesses aimed at creating jobs for the poorest of the poor. Upaya’s continually growing portfolio of impact investments has created nearly 17,000 lasting, dignified jobs. Endorsed by ImpactMatters as a high-impact, cost-effective nonprofit, Upaya’s teams in Seattle and Bangalore are committed to a goal of helping entrepreneurs create jobs for 50,000 people in India by 2023. To support its mission, Upaya runs an annual Accelerator Program in India focused on investment readiness for early-stage businesses creating jobs and livelihoods to lift people out of extreme poverty.

+ About MIT D-Lab

MIT D-Lab works with people around the world to develop and advance collaborative approaches and practical solutions to global poverty challenges. The mission is pursued through an academics program of more than 20 MIT classes and student research and fieldwork opportunities; research groups spanning a variety of sectors and approaches; and a group of participatory innovation programs called innovation practice. The D-Lab Scale-Ups Fellowship, founded in 2013, is a global accelerator that works with local entrepreneurs bringing poverty-alleviating products and services to market at scale.

+ Will funding be available to all selected enterprises?

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.

+ Can we apply if we have male a co-founder?

We are preferably looking for companies with a founding team made up of all women. The program is intended to build the capacity of women entrepreneurs who are in top decision making roles and are driving key business functions.

+ What is extreme poverty?

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.