Cisco & Villgro Launch 'TVARAN' Accelerator Program to Aid Emerging Women-Led Climate Solution Startups in India

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 3 November 2022

The TVARAN programme, which aims to assist the expansion of women-led social entrepreneurs in India working to combat climate change, has been jointly announced by Villgro and the CISCO India Cash Grant Program. The programme, which is unique in its design, intends to increase the market share of women-led start-ups that are pioneering in the fields of renewable energy, water and waste management, and climate-smart agriculture.

Women are more impacted by climate change than males, according to the World Economic Forum (source), although the sector of green technology is now dominated by men. Furthermore, it is well known that women's involvement in climate response initiatives results in better overall results.

However, access to markets is still one of the major issues facing female entrepreneurs. Through a targeted market entry and market expansion campaign to support five of the nation's upcoming women-led climate solutions, TVARAN seeks to solve this issue.

"CISCO's mission is to power an inclusive future for everyone. We are declaring our dedication to assisting female entrepreneurs who are promoting climate resilience through their companies through our relationship with Villgro. The prospect is exciting, and we look forward to continuing our tight relationship with the entrepreneurs, said Harish Krishnan, managing director and chief policy officer of Cisco India & SAARC.

The 6-month targeted acceleration is a high-engagement programme created to fund and carry out the marketing plans of female entrepreneurs. Villgro and Cisco will use support mechanisms through the acceleration programme to implement go-to-market strategies, including financial support of INR 1 crore (up to INR 20 lakhs per start-up), capacity building, business planning, mentorship, and peer learning.

Jenaan Lilani Bhargava, Chief Operating Officer, Villgro Innovations Foundation stated, “Villgro's work with women entrepreneurs has had a steadfast focus on market access enablement. That is where we believe ecosystem support is yet inadequate, and where Villgro can add the most value. TVARAN has been born out of this belief, with the objective of increasing the market presence of women-led solutions to climate change. We are grateful to have found a committed partner in CISCO towards this mission.”

The TVARAN call for applications is now active. Start-ups in the climate action sector that had at least 50% female ownership and actively participated in decision-making are eligible to apply.

Visit https://villgro.org/current-programs/#cause-1 to join the initiative.