impACT | Q2 2023 Edition

ACT Fellowship Program welcomes its second cohort!

Meet André Charan, Rucha Phadke, Divya Malhotra, Lakshay Talwar and Sailee Rane! After a two-day immersion in ACT's operating frameworks, our 2023-24 Fellows have already jumped into ACTion and are learning to apply venture capital principles towards catalysing social impact at scale. Please join us in welcoming our #FabFive as they embark on their nine-month journey to accelerate ACT's mission!

Rocket Learning secures a $1.5M grant from Google

We're thrilled to see ACT For Education grantee Rocket Learning win Google's AI For The Global Goals challenge and secure a $1.5 million grant! This grant will enable Rocket Learning to create the world's first AI/ML coach and fuel their mission to improve early childhood education for 50 million pre-schoolers over the next five years.

Know more here.

ACT For Environment brings Cancrie on board

Cancrie uses agri-waste to create advanced-grade nano carbons which are used as an additive on battery electrode plates. The product increases the battery cycle life by over 50% and enhances energy efficiency by 40%. They also recently bagged a Rs.50L grant from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) in recognition of their cutting-edge innovation.

Know more here.

Dvara Health Finance joins the ACT For Health collective

Dvara Health Finance aims to address critical gaps within the primary care continuum by enabling a transition from the prevailing fee-for-service model to a more effective fee-for-value model, as facilitated by community health workers and the use of technology.

This collaboration will pave the way for enhanced access, improved heath outcomes and increased financial resilience!

Read more here.

Vidyakul gets shortlisted for ET Startup Awards 2023

We're proud to see Vidyakul, an ACT For Education portfolio company, getting shortlisted for the coveted Economic Times Startup Awards 2023 under the Social Enterprise category!Their affordable ed-tech solution enables state board students from grades 9 to 12  to learn at home using vernacular educational content created by local teachers.

Read more here.

APChemi raises €2.3M for their green hydrogen project

After bagging a spot in the UK-India Net Zero Accelerator Program, APChemi has secured €2.3 million from the Indo-Danish Green Hydrogen Funding Call in collaboration with Plastic Center Denmark and Aalborg University!Their innovative project on producing green hydrogen from plastic and biomass waste has also been acknowledged by the GoI as one that reinforces India's commitment to clean energy.

ACT For Health welcomes NeuroSynaptic to its portfolio

Neurosynaptic's ReMeDi® kit offers comprehensive diagnostic tests required at the primary healthcare centre level - including maternal & child health, communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases.

Our grant aims to pilot the integrated ReMeDi® diagnostics kit across the public health system to improve the utilisation of existing services and enhance access to essential tests at the last mile care.

Know more here.

ACT hosts a masterclass on catalytic funding at Charcha'23

ACT hosted a masterclass at Charcha'23 that saw a group of founders and funders come together to share their perspectives on the significance of catalytic funding and tech-led innovations in unleashing a new wave of livelihoods for Bharat.

While funders emphasised the need for patient, high-risk capital, founders laid stress on measuring impact. Both agreed on the value of founders building strong teams and a resilient work culture through a bias for action.

Watch this video.

Niramai garners international recognition

Niramai Health Analytix, from the ACT For Health portfolio, shines on the global stage!  Their AI-powered solution, which uses thermography to detect early stage breast cancer, was recently showcased at the UN Headquarters in New York.

They were also recently recognised as the first runner-up, among 29 global startups, in the Mega Startup Challenge at the G20 Digital Innovation Alliance Summit.

Know more here.

ACT Implementers Network partners with TRIF 

As a way to bring private innovations to public health systems, ACT Implementers Network has collaborated with Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF) to increase access to quality and affordable healthcare. 

TRIF's Mission Anandi+ program is using mobile screening units equipped with Niramai Health Analytix's innovation to accelerate breast cancer screening among underserved women in Osmanabad, Maharashtra.

Know more here.

ACT For Health brings C3 Med-Tech on board

C3 Medtech's portable slit lamp and fundus imaging device are powerful eye screening solutions that empower primary care settings to conduct efficient ophthalmology screenings.

The devices can be attached to smartphones, allowing healthcare providers to capture high-quality eye images and receive remote consultations from qualified ophthalmologists.

Know more here.

ACT For Health and MSDF collaborate to support OHCN

With support from ACT For Health and Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Open Healthcare Network  is introducing the GDC AI Fellowship program for students to harness the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence in the field of healthcare.

Student participants will have the opportunity to create innovative applications that can play a pivotal role in building the capacity of healthcare workers by aligning them with ICU care protocols.

Founders In Spotlight

"We wanted to increase affordable access to mental healthcare by trans-adapting Wysa's clinically validated solution for Hindi-speaking users." 

Wysa's advanced conversational AI chatbot in Hindi will also be available on Whatsapp and will guide users through cognitive behavioural therapy exercises to help them manage depression and anxiety. 

Watch the video to know more about Wysa's journey through the eyes of co-founder Ramakant Vempati! 

“We provide greener alternatives to our customers. Our bio-silica is a direct replacement of the conventional silica and is available at similar or better prices.”

Brisil Technologies repurposes rice husk ash to produce green precipitated silica for industrial use, thus curbing air pollution and offering a greener alternative to conventional silica derived from sand mining.

 Know more about Brisil's innovative solution in this Hindu Business Line feature with founder Tanmay Pandya! 

Industry Insights

"The biggest learning from ACT was the power of the collective.”

Prashanth Prakash, Partner at Accel, has been instrumental in shaping ACT’s journey and we’re so grateful to have him at our helm. Know more about his approach to philanthropy and his passion for driving social impact at scale, the startup way! 

Click here.

The timely availability of oxygenation solutions in low-resourced healthcare settings was crucial during the pandemic. ACT’s work with Swasth Alliance during this time enabled the distribution of over 50K critical oxygen equipment units across 500 districts in India.

A recent survey conducted revealed that the distributed oxygen devices effectively addressed immediate oxygen needs and helped enhance long-term capacity for non-COVID patients requiring oxygen. Know more in this peer reviewed study published on PLOS!

Click here.

The pandemic accelerated the integration of online learning into children’s education, but how do ed-tech solutions for Bharat become truly impactful? Prafulla Shashikant (Founder, VOPA) answers this in a co-authored article by exploring the operational realities of V School - their free app that offers vernacular educational content for children in grades 1 to 10.

Click here.