Villgro is an Indian incubator for early-stage social enterprises, working across climate-smart agriculture, healthcare, climate action, and inclusive livelihoods and entrepreneurship. This program was its climate-tech call with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India.
It backed enterprises building solutions in two areas, climate action and sustainable mobility, with the stated aim of making Indian cities cleaner, less congested and safer. Ten enterprises were supported for 12 months, five in an incubation track and five in an acceleration track.
Support ran virtually, with occasional meet-ups primarily in Bangalore. Applications closed after 30 October 2024 and the program page now marks the call closed. Villgro has not announced a further round.
Benefits & funding
- Seed funding, given as a grant. Villgro states the program takes no equity in the enterprises it supports.
- The seed funding amount is not published on either official page.
- Strategic and technical mentorship.
- Market access support aimed at increasing sales.
- Support with fundraising.
- 12 months of support per enterprise, across 10 places: five in incubation, five in acceleration.
Eligibility
- Applicants are enterprises. Founders apply on behalf of the venture, not as individuals.
- Incubation track: enterprises with commercial pilots or early market penetration.
- Acceleration track: enterprises with commercialised products and consistent sales.
- The work must sit in climate action or sustainable mobility, within the outcome areas Villgro lists for each.
- The call is aimed at early-stage enterprises.
- The program targets Indian cities, and the application portal asks whether the enterprise is based in India. No nationality, age, gender or degree requirement is published.
Can you apply?
Open to all applicants
No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.
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Application process
- 1Check the venture against the two focus areas and pick the matching track.
- 2Register on the Climate Tech Incubator application portal linked from the program site.
- 3Complete the form, which asks for the motivation behind the venture, the solution, and how the team is set up.
- 4Wait for shortlisting. Shortlisted applicants are invited to interviews.
- 5Selected enterprises join for 12 months, working virtually with occasional meet-ups primarily in Bangalore.
- 6Questions go to mobility.villgro@villgro.org, which the site says is answered within 24 hours.
Program timeline
Application deadline, the last date to apply.
Oct 30, 2024
After the deadline
Shortlisted applicants invited to interviews.
12 months from selection
Support period for selected enterprises. Start and end dates are not published.