ET Startup Awards 2024: Nominees for Social Enterprise

With this category, we intend to recognise the startup that best embodies the ‘double bottomline’ model, one that combines profits with the public good.

Company Name: Blackfrog Technologies

Donson Dsouza, cofounder, Blackfrog Technologies


Founded In: 2015

Founders: Mayur Shetty, Donson Dsouza

Based In: Manipal, Karnataka

Key Investors: Ranjan Pai family office, Social Alpha

What it does: Blackfrog Technologies builds portable battery powered backpacks, which can carry vaccines at a constant temperature for long distances even without an external source of power.

Company Name: Saahas Zero Waste

Shobha Raghavan, CEO, Saahas Zero Waste

Founded In: 2013

Founder: Wilma Rodrigues

Based In: Bengaluru

Key Investors: India Angel Network, C4D Partners

What it does: Saahas helps in recycling of solid waste generated in large corporate parks and housing societies. Provides services through which waste can be collected through formal channels and recycled for new products.

Company Name: Kosh

Aayush Goyal and Sahil Bansal, cofounders, Kosh

Founded In: 2019

Founders: Aayush Goyal, Sahil Bansal

Based In: Gurugram

Key Investors: Y Combinator, India Quotient

What it does: Kosh provides accessible financial services to blue collar workers, who are either part of the gig economy or work at factories and production units.

Company Name: Rang De

Smita Ram, cofounder, Rang De

Founded In: 2017

Founders: Ramkrishna NK, Smita Ram

Based In: Bengaluru

Key Investors: Social Alpha, CVCapital

What it does: Rang De runs a peer-to-peer lending platform to connect retail investors with borrowers. The aim of Rang De is to encourage investors to pump in funds to provide capital to rural Indians.

Company Name: Haqdarshak

Aniket Doegar, founder, Haqdarshak

Founded In: 2016

Founder: Aniket Doegar

Based In: Bengaluru

Key Investors: Acumen Fund, Village Capital, 3i Impact India Investment

What it does: Through a social security card, named Yojana card, Haqdarshak makes less-privileged Indians aware of the government welfare schemes they are eligible for, and then helps them access the benefits.