is delta
small shifts, big change.
Change doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful.
Small, well supported shifts create a delta - nudging system forward, unlocking transformative potential.
India is at a critical juncture. While the economy grows, vast sections of the population are still locked out of meaningful work and income security. We need innovative, grassroots solutions that are both scalable and sustainable to solve deep-rooted social and economic inequalities. Social entrepreneurs, who blend purpose with enterprise, are uniquely positioned to build these impact-driven models.
At the^delta, we aim to equip social entrepreneurs with the tools, resources and momentum they need to enable resilient livelihoods and inclusive growth through:
Incubating bold ideas
Accelerating what works and can scale
Incentivising breakthrough solutions
but resilient livelihoods for whom?
Farmer
While over 46% of India’s workforce remains engaged in agriculture, most farmers earn less than 40% of what is needed for a basic, sustainable livelihood.
Despite being critical to food security, farmers face shrinking returns, climate risks, and limited access to finance and markets, undermining their productivity, resilience, and upward economic mobility.
Marginalised Communities
Geography and identity still determine access to opportunity.
Entire communities - Ultra-poor, PVTGs, transgender persons, persons with disabilities, informal migrants - remain disconnected from the formal economy and support systems.
Women
Less than one-fourth of Indian women participate in the workforce, with over 90% in informal, unpaid, or vulnerable roles.
While participation is rising, 200+ million women still don't step out for work daily, remaining in low-productivity sectors with limited access to equitable livelihoods and economic mobility.
Youth
India’s youth embody potential, but limited pathways to opportunity threaten to hold them back.
Despite India’s growing youth population, high youth unemployment reflects a significant skills mismatch, limited livelihoods opportunities, and a gap between education and industry needs.
Inclusive livelihood resilience requires enhancing employability, entrepreneurship, skills, and access to capital.
three pathways. one purpose
Incentivising breakthrough innovations for complex problems through open challenges that attract creative, market-based solutions, along with result-based financing and ecosystem acceleration.
Nurturing bold ideas into tested solutions for early-stage nonprofit entrepreneurs through innovation grants, mentorship, bootcamps, and ecosystem connections.
Scaling proven models through targeted mentorship, capacity-building, and strategic support, with tools and networks for sustainable growth.
the^delta is built to support innovators across every stage of their journey - from ideation to scale. By bridging funding gaps, removing systemic barriers, and fostering collaboration, we aim to create an ecosystem where transformative social innovation can thrive.
Incentive competitions for breakthrough solutions
Innovation can come from anywhere and the^delta prize is where it takes flight. We run open prize challenges to attract creative, market-driven solutions to India’s toughest livelihood challenges. By inviting entrepreneurs, technologists, and problem-solvers, particularly from the for-profit sector, we spark fresh thinking and diverse approaches. At the heart of each challenge are deep research-backed problem statements and thriving ecosystems designed to drive adoption and scale. With results-based financing and a sharp focus on measurable impact, the^Delta Prize steers markets to innovate where it’s needed the most, unlocking breakthrough solutions for a better tomorrow.
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