Mumbai, December 3, 2024 – The Sankalp Bharat Summit 2024, presented by the Aavishkaar Foundation, concluded successfully in Varanasi, celebrating India’s homegrown innovators and regional startups shaping the future of entrepreneurship. Held at the Rudraksh International Convention Centre, the Summit brought together 300+ startups and 700+ stakeholders, making it a landmark event for fostering local innovation and global impact.
With the theme “From India to the World: Impact Unicorns Shaping the Future,” this first-ever Sankalp Summit in Varanasi spotlighted enterprises from India’s heartland, emphasizing their role in driving sustainability and innovation. Across 50 sessions, the Summit featured dynamic discussions with local innovators and Impact Unicorns, focusing on entrepreneurship as the catalyst for creating scalable and sustainable solutions.
Key speakers included industry leaders such as G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, Mohandas Pai (Chairman, Aarin Capital), Alok Mishra (Principal Secretary, Uttar Pradesh), and Dr. V Anantha Nageshwaran (Chief Economic Advisor, Govt. of India). They were joined by global and national experts like Amit Chandra (Bain Capital), Hama Makino (DFC), Rob Davies (BII), and Satya Prakash Singh (SIDBI), discussing topics such as building unicorns, scaling globally, the climate economy, and Uttar Pradesh’s trillion-dollar economic vision.
Recognizing Excellence
A highlight of the Summit was the Sankalp Bharat and Artha Impact Awards, which awarded over INR 40 lakhs in cash prizes to outstanding early-stage enterprises:
- Growit India won the Bharat Impact Leader Award.
- Medoplus Services received the Bharat Rural Innovator Award.
- Janitri was recognized with the Global Impact Trailblazer Award.
Other notable recognitions included:
- The ShelterTech Award (sponsored by Habitat for Humanity), won by Pavin+.
- The Circular Innovations Award (sponsored by CAIF, an Intellecap initiative), won by Canvaloop.
- The Sankalp Tech Revolution Award, which went to Trinano Technologies.
Additionally, the Aavishkaar Group launched its Annual Impact Report and celebrated its flagship Youth Entrepreneurship Program for schools and colleges, as well as the Entrepreneur Investing Program for startups in Uttar Pradesh.
Driving Local Innovation
According to Vikas Bali, CEO of Intellecap, “Local entrepreneurs are the architects of India’s economic renaissance. Their ability to transform ideas into thriving businesses showcases India’s talent on a global stage. Platforms like Sankalp are vital for empowering these innovators and building sustainable, scalable solutions.”
Global Support for Local Talent
Supported by organizations like Artha Impact, Energy Catalyst, British International Investment, The Gates Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, the Summit reaffirmed its mission to amplify the voices of small-town entrepreneurs, bringing their transformative ideas to the forefront of India’s startup ecosystem.
The Sankalp Bharat Summit 2024 stood as a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and the untapped potential of India’s regional entrepreneurs in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.
