NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, October 19, 2015

A recent report by the Lemelson Foundation highlights financing, technical assistance, mentoring that offers concrete solutions to help invention based businesses thrive. World’s leading funder of invention in service of social and economic change, Lemelson Foundation examines India’s impact ecosystem that caters to the broad network of businesses, funders, and intermediaries that enable social enterprise and inventors potential to grow.

India is a country of glaring contrasts with 400 million people living in extreme poverty alongside a growing middle class, and persistent and prevalent challenges like unsafe water, air and sanitation in a nation that just sent a mission to Mars.

Philip Varnum, chief financial and administrative officer, Lemelson Foundation said, “We hope this research will encourage dialogue and collaboration among entrepreneurs and investors in India and beyond.”

Catalyzing capital for invention presents detailed observations and data collected from interviews with more than 60 investors, entrepreneurs and intermediaries, along with actionable solutions for addressing the challenges.