Hyderabad, 17th July -T-Hub, India’s leading innovation ecosystem, announced a strategic partnership with Next Bharat Ventures – A Suzuki Initiative. This collaboration marks a significant commitment by T-Hub to support Next Bharat Ventures, the debut fund of Suzuki Motor Corporation in India dedicated to nurturing and empowering impact entrepreneurs creating value for rural India.

 T-Hub‘s expertise and extensive network will be instrumental in amplifying the reach and impact of Next Bharat Ventures’ initiatives. Through this partnership, T-Hub will leverage its expertise and network to amplify Next Bharat Ventures’ reach and impact. This will be achieved through three key initiatives: strengthening the Next Bharat Residency Program with joint events, workshops, and mentorship; equipping entrepreneurs with leadership skills specifically for the rural Indian market; and supporting startups from Tier II and III cities to create a more inclusive innovation ecosystem.

Next Bharat Ventures plans to launch a 4-month immersive Next Bharat Residency Program for early-stage entrepreneurs committed to impacting rural and informal sectors in India. Applications are open until July 31, 2024, with the program commencing on October 14, 2024. The inclusive application process, including WhatsApp submissions, ensures broad participation with a swift two-week review period. The program features extensive mentorship sessions by industry leaders and offers equity investments ranging from INR 1 Cr to INR 5 Cr for selected startups.

 Previously T-hub supported Suzuki Innovation Centre, one of the greenfield initiatives of Suzuki Japan – which is now included as one of the Next Bharat Ventures’ vehicles.

 Mahankali Srinivas Rao (MSR), CEO of T-Hub, stated, “Through our partnership with Next Bharat Ventures – A Suzuki Initiative, we aim to address broad challenges in India, beyond mobility, leveraging the synergistic combination of technology and design. This partnership will empower Indian entrepreneurs to scale globally, fostering homegrown technology startups with access to mentorship and guidance from T-Hub and Next Bharat Ventures.”

 The MoU was signed in the presence of Mr. Vipul Nath Jindal, Managing Director & CEO of Next Bharat Ventures, Mr. Ronit Kumar and Ms. Prathyusha Thammineni from Suzuki Motor Corporation, Mr. Sachin Ahuja from Next Bharat Ventures, along with Mr. Srinivas Rao Mahankali, CEO of T-Hub, Mr. Sujit Jagirdar and Mr. Avinash Kedari from T-Hub, and Mr. Sushovan Chatterjee, Innovation Consultant at T-Hub.

 Vipul Nath Jindal, CEO and Managing Director of Next Bharat Ventures, commented, “We embark on this journey to cultivate an impact entrepreneurship ecosystem that is deeply community-oriented. Our long-term ambition is to collaborate closely with stakeholders within the ecosystem, building compounded synergies. Our partnership with T-Hub will empower and nurture Impact Entrepreneurs with access to the T-Hub and Next Bharat ecosystems.”