Money alone might improve extreme poverty; economic justice requires more. When Upaya looks for companies that create dignified jobs for the poor, we evaluate questions of reliability, safety, and fundamental respect in addition to the economic benefits.
Since 2017, Upaya Social Ventures has been at the forefront of this work to empower early-stage entrepreneurs through its Dignified Jobs Accelerator, equipping them with tools and knowledge to become investment ready for impact investors. The accelerator builds on Upaya’s ongoing work to provide investment and support to entrepreneurs creating dignified jobs for people in extreme poverty.
Upaya Social Ventures announced today the 11 companies that have been selected for its third accelerator program. All 11 social enterprises show the potential to create jobs at scale for the extreme poor in India. They represent cities across India and operate in a diverse range of industries from rural manufacturing to tourism.
In our collective quest to grow the impact economy, we should not lose sight of the full set of actors, tools, and methods that are needed in concert to effect disruptive change. Namely, we must not overlook the earliest stages of social enterprise innovation, the so-called “Pioneer Gap” that still remains stubbornly under-funded.
Upaya Social Ventures is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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