Reliance & Gates Commit Rs 25.84 Crore for Women's Digital Access

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Friday, 17 July 2026

Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation have announced the first-round winners of the SheConnects Digital Accelerator: India, committing a collective ₹25.84 crore to six non-profit organisations working to advance women's digital inclusion across the country. The announcement was made in New Delhi on 16 July 2026, bringing together representatives from government, academia, philanthropy, civil society, and the technology sector.

Key Highlights

• Reliance Foundation and Gates Foundation commit ₹25.84 crore to six non-profits
• The initiative aims to digitally empower nearly one million women across India
• Round 2 applications open with grants of up to ₹4.2 crore

The initiative aims to help nearly one million women gain improved access to digital opportunities over the next 15–18 months through technology-driven interventions across healthcare, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and public services.

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: India is a joint initiative of Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation that seeks to scale proven digital solutions enabling women and girls to participate more effectively in the digital economy. Beyond financial support, the programme will provide selected organisations with technical assistance, monitoring and evaluation support, capacity-building boot camps, and peer-learning opportunities through the GSMA Foundation.

The six organisations selected under the inaugural funding round are Project Concern International (PCI) India, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Myna Mahila Foundation, Digital Empowerment Foundation, A Society for Promotion of Inclusive and Relevant Education (ASPIRE), and Chaitanya.

Each organisation will implement projects addressing different aspects of women's digital empowerment. PCI India will strengthen economic resilience and digital agency among rural women in Odisha through its government-supported EmpowerHer platform. M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation will equip coastal fisherwomen across five states with digital skills and improved post-harvest facilities. Myna Mahila Foundation will expand women's healthcare access using its AI-powered Myna Bolo chatbot, while the Digital Empowerment Foundation will support rural women entrepreneurs through Soochnapreneur Business Mitras and one-stop centres across four states.

Meanwhile, ASPIRE will combine shared digital infrastructure with community-based training programmes across four states, and Chaitanya will help self-help group members develop digital skills to overcome social barriers and improve economic opportunities.

Speaking at the announcement, Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director of Gender Equality at the Gates Foundation, said the accelerator offers an opportunity for non-profit organisations to develop and scale impactful digital inclusion solutions while generating practical evidence that can guide similar initiatives across India and the Global South. She added that the true measure of digital transformation lies in its ability to improve people's lives rather than the sophistication of the technology itself.

Deepthi Reddy, Chief, Women Empowerment at Reliance Foundation, said the accelerator aims to identify and support organisations with scalable solutions that can strengthen women's participation in India's digital ecosystem.

The organisers also opened applications for the second round of the accelerator on 16 July. Eligible Indian non-profits with replication-ready digital interventions can apply for grants of up to ₹4.2 crore for projects spanning 15–18 months. The programme encourages the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence, chatbots, and regional language platforms alongside behaviour change initiatives to bridge India's gender digital divide.