Vande Bharatam, the grassroots innovation and entrepreneurship initiative launched byAdani Group Chairman Mr Gautam Adani, has selected its inaugural cohort from more than 26,000 applications across India.
Vande Bharatam received applications from every State and Union Territory, with ideas spanning mobility, sustainability, technology, agriculture, defence, healthcare, manufacturing, education and other sectors. The cohort brings together innovators from varied regions, disciplines and backgrounds, united by the ambition to solve the nation’s problems, build nation-building enterprises and create nationwide impact.
Created on the premise that talent is everywhere, even when opportunity is not, Vande Bharatam aims to connect promising innovators with top mentors, industry leaders, visibility and opportunities, to turn ideas into meaningful enterprises. The initiative is built on Mr Adani’s deeply held belief in giving back to the country that gave him the opportunity to dream, build and grow, and in creating pathways for others to do the same.
Speaking on the launch of the first cohort, Mr Gautam Adani said:“When I look at these innovators, I see the possibilities of tomorrow’s Bharat. Talent has no city limits and opportunity should not have them either. Years from now, I hope we will look back at this first cohort and see among them the founders and innovators who went on to build enterprises that transformed Bharat. This is their initial chapter. And it is Vande Bharatam’s first chapter too.”
Selected through a multi-stage evaluation process, the first cohort will take part in Vande Bharatam Immersive Week, featuring mentorship sessions, interactions with business leaders, entrepreneurs and experts, and successive rounds of evaluation. The program will culminate in the Vande Bharatam Grand Finale on 14 August, where outstanding innovators will be recognised and presented with the Vande Bharatam Trophy.
Vande Bharatam is designed as more than a competition. Its longer-term ambition is to build a national platform that discovers ideas earlier and gives innovators beyond India’s traditional entrepreneurial centres access to people and institutions that can accelerate their journeys.