Azim Premji Foundation launches social startup development program

The Azim Premji Foundation has opened applications for its Social Startups Programme, an initiative designed to assist development professionals in establishing new civil society organizations. The program aims to address critical gaps in health, education, and social welfare across specific regions of India, including Odisha, Northeast India, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Bengaluru Urban.

The initiative targets applicants under the age of 40 who possess a graduate degree and a minimum of three years of hands-on field experience. Participants must commit to long-term relocation to their assigned geography to manage their newly formed organizations. Individuals who have already registered a legal entity are ineligible to participate.

Selected participants will begin an eight-month seeding phase on April 1, 2027, which includes professional guidance and operational support. Once organizations are formally registered at the end of this phase, participants may submit proposals for a two-year seed grant to support their continued operations. Applications remain open until December 31, 2026.