Give A Job
Change A Life
Upaya Social Ventures creates dignified jobs for the poorest of the poor. We build a ladder out of extreme poverty, creating lasting impact where it is needed most.
By investing in and consulting with businesses that share our commitment to create opportunity for the poorest of the poor,
Upaya has accelerated 20 businesses. We have invested in 14 businesses** that have so far created 7,769 jobs.
We start by selecting early-stage entrepreneurs to join our accelerator program.
We select up to three businesses from each accelerator for investments and ongoing consulting support.
The businesses we partner with have created thousands of dignified jobs for the poor in their communities.
Read the stories of the jobholders whose lives are being transformed through your contribution to Upaya.
Plate Maker & Trainer, Barpeta, Assam
Craftsman & Designer, Mirze Town, Assam
Paper Maker, Mirze Town, Assam
Upaya is pleased to announce the kick-off of our partnership with UpSkill Management Services, a Mumbai-based business focused on training unskilled workers for employment in sectors such as retail and auto repair.
Upaya Social Ventures and Seattle University will welcome entrepreneur Mansi Agarwal – Founder and CEO of UpSkill India – to Seattle for a week full of events and educational seminars in late February.
Upaya Social Ventures selected two more companies for our investment portfolio of social enterprises creating jobs for the poorest of the poor.
Earlier this year, we at Upaya wrote about the tenacious female founders in our portfolio and how their companies were outperforming the others. We asked them what piece of advice they would give to other aspiring women entrepreneurs. From their insights, several themes emerged. . .
In a piece written for NextBillion.net, Upaya's CEO, Sachi Shenoy, and board member, Nathan Byrd, discuss the challenges and opportunities around pioneering capital, and how impact investors can do so much more with much less.
Looking back on 2017, we are optimistic that the Women’s March, the #MeToo movement, and the surging wave of women running for office are all feeding a trend that will soon assure women equal access to opportunities in all industries, and seats at the head of the table.
*Source: Taking on Inequality: Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2016, The World Bank
** Includes two investments in term sheet stage
