The/Nudge Foundation
The/Nudge Foundation is a Bengaluru-based non-profit action institute using the Graduation Approach, government partnerships, and social entrepreneurship programs to lift ultra-poor Indian households out of extreme poverty, reaching 15M+ people across multiple states since 2015.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBengaluru, India
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The/Nudge Foundation does
The/Nudge Foundation, operating publicly as The/Nudge Institute, is an action institute founded in 2015 in Bengaluru with a mission to build a poverty-free India through partnerships with governments, markets, and civil society. Its core operating model rests on the evidence-based Graduation Approach, deploying productive asset transfers, temporary cash grants (Consumption Support Grants), technical training, savings access, and behavioral change communication to lift ultra-poor households — particularly Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups and Dalit communities — out of extreme poverty. Core programs include the Economic Inclusion Program (EIP), the Asha Kiran rural women's livelihood program in Uttar Pradesh (backyard poultry and goatery with UPSRLM), the InSight vision-correction initiative, the 18-month Indian Administrative Fellowship placing senior private-sector professionals inside government departments, an Incubator/Accelerator for social entrepreneurs, The/Nudge Prize grand challenges, and the annual charcha convening forum.
The technology stack blends field delivery with digital platforms: the Sarathi mobile app for EIP, Digital Naukri Challenge for online work opportunities, and a growing AI layer including GraminAI (Jharkhand's first AI Support Cell inside the Rural Development Department), an e-Pension Calculation Engine, an AI Policy Bot for industrial policy queries, and Digital Public Infrastructure integrations on India's open-source Digit and Sunbird stacks. The Ethical Evaluation Framework for Digital Health was co-developed with IIIT Bangalore. Revenue mechanics are non-profit: philanthropic grants (Omidyar Network India, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), government MoU-based co-implementation funding, corporate CSR partnerships (Mphasis F1 Foundation, DCM Shriram, Ashirvad Pipes), and grand challenge prize pools (Rs 6.5 crore Digital Naukri, Rs 2.6 crore AgWater). No fees are charged to beneficiaries; the Indian Administrative Fellowship pays a Rs 1.25 lakh monthly honorarium. The organization reports 15M+ people impacted, 100K+ households served, 22K+ youth skilled, and 100+ nonprofits incubated since inception, supported by a 400+ person team called Nudgesters operating from Bengaluru and a US presence in Irving, Texas.
The/Nudge Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The/Nudge Foundation
- Legal name
- The Nudge Foundation
- Website
- https://thenudge.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The/Nudge Foundation is a Bengaluru-based non-profit action institute using the Graduation Approach, government partnerships, and social entrepreneurship programs to lift ultra-poor Indian households out of extreme poverty, reaching 15M+ people across multiple states since 2015.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The/Nudge Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Poverty Alleviation and Livelihood Development Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) & Reporting for Donor Programs (BPADAOAL), Cash Assistance & Social Safety Net Delivery for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAH)
Keywords
Where The/Nudge Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bengaluru
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
The/Nudge Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Grants: Primary funding from philanthropic organizations including Omidyar Network India ($2 million grant in 2021), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other donors. Grants support program implementation, operations, and expansion of livelihood initiatives.
- Government Partnerships: Partnerships with state governments (Jharkhand, Karnataka, Punjab, UP) and central ministries for program co-implementation. Government partners provide funding support for Economic Inclusion Program, Indian Administrative Fellowship, and other initiatives through MoUs.
- Consumption Support Grant (CSG): Cash assistance provided to program participants (ultra-poor households) during early stages of livelihood program until they can generate income. Facilitated through village organizations with donor funding.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The/Nudge Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The/Nudge Foundation is a non-profit action institute that runs a portfolio of interconnected livelihood programs targeting ultra-poor households, rural women, and social entrepreneurs in India. Its core offerings include the Economic Inclusion Program (graduation approach), Asha Kiran (rural women's poultry/goatery livelihoods), InSight (vision correction for presbyopia), the Indian Administrative Fellowship (placing private-sector professionals in government), an Incubator and Accelerator for social enterprises, The/Nudge Prize grand challenges, and the annual charcha convening forum. Programs are delivered via partnerships with state and central governments and through proprietary digital platforms including GraminAI, e-Pension Engine, and the Sarathi mobile app.
Product overview
The/Nudge Institute is an action institute working towards a poverty-free India through partnering with governments, markets, and civil society. The organization operates as a platform-plus-programs model with its core Livelihoods Ecosystem comprising multiple interconnected initiatives: the Economic Inclusion Program (EIP) using the Graduation Approach to lift the most excluded households out of poverty; Asha Kiran and InSight as targeted livelihood and healthcare programs; Indian Administrative Fellowship (IAF) as a talent-fellowship bridge between private sector and government; The/Nudge Prize with its Incubator and Accelerator for social entrepreneurship; Forum (charcha) as a convening platform; and the*spark co-working facility. Additionally, the Digital Naukri Challenge drives innovation in digital livelihoods through grand challenge competitions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Economic Inclusion Program (EIP) A multi-faceted economic inclusion program using the graduation approach to help the most excluded households (PVTGs and Dalit communities meeting 3+ SECC 2011 deprivation criteria) build resilient livelihoods through productive asset transfer, cash support, technical training, savings account access, and behavioral change communication. Reached 100K+ households across multiple Indian states.
- Asha Kiran A livelihood program working with the Uttar Pradesh government (UPSRLM) to enable sustainable livelihoods for rural women in agricultural communities through backyard poultry and goatery as supplementary income sources. Targets women tied to unpredictable wage labor with limited income diversification, addressing financial vulnerability during male migration.
- InSight A vision care initiative addressing presbyopia (age-related farsightedness) through a three-pronged strategy: government support, scalable distribution models, and catalytic philanthropy. Provides reading glasses distribution in India, demonstrating 20% income boost and 34% productivity gain for users.
- Indian Administrative Fellowship (IAF) An 18-month impact fellowship connecting senior private-sector professionals (15+ years experience) with government officials to drive technological innovation in public systems. Fellows receive Rs 1.25 lakhs monthly honorarium and are placed in government departments across Karnataka, Jharkhand, Punjab, and MoSJE cohorts. Mobilised Rs 920 Cr+ through public-private partnerships, impacting 20 Lac+ citizens.
- The/Nudge Incubator A program supporting early-stage social entrepreneurs through mentorship, resources, and funding to build scalable social enterprises in areas like agriculture, livelihoods, health, and climate. Accepts applications through the website.
- The/Nudge Accelerator A program supporting growth-stage social enterprises to scale their impact through advanced mentorship and strategic support, building on the Incubator cohort pathway.
- The/Nudge Prize A grand challenge platform that drives innovative solutions to India's social problems through incentive-driven competitions with prize purses (e.g., Rs 2.6 crore for DCM AgWater Utilisation Challenge, Rs 6.5 crore for Digital Naukri Challenge).
- Digital Naukri Challenge A Rs 6.5 crore grand challenge in partnership with Mphasis F1 Foundation to enable 1 million digital work opportunities for India's homemakers by 2030 through a dedicated challenge website.
- Forum (charcha) The flagship convening platform of the livelihoods ecosystem that brings together doers, funders, and enablers to facilitate dialogues for transformative change. India's largest livelihoods summit with multiple editions (charcha 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) connecting funders, implementers, and government stakeholders.
Quantifiable outcome
- 15+ million people impacted since inception in 2015
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The/Nudge Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The/Nudge Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
The/Nudge Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- VisionSpringcoreVisionSpring advisor Jordan Kassalow provides expertise for InSight program addressing uncorrected presbyopia through reading glasses distribution in India.
- EssilorcoreEx Chief Mission Officer Jayanth Bhuvaraghan serves as advisor for InSight program, bringing expertise in vision correction and eyeglass distribution.
- KPMGcorePartnership with KPMG Global COO of ESG Advisory (Impact) Devang Bhandari to scale evidence-based graduation approach models to enable 23 million households to come out of extreme exclusion in India.
- Government of India - Central MinistriescoreWorking with central ministries and state governments on Economic Inclusion Program and InSight program for marginalized communities through graduation approach.
- Government of Jharkhand - JSLPScorePartnership with Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) for Economic Inclusion Program implementation. COO Shri Bishnu C. Parida endorsed the partnership for overall development of most excluded in rural Jharkhand.
- Government of KarnatakacorePartnership for Indian Administrative Fellowship with Karnataka government. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah endorsed the IAF program as a front-runner in fostering public-private collaborations.
- NITI AayogcoreLeadership development bootcamps for IAF Fellows organized in partnership with NITI Aayog, India's premier policy think tank.
- UPSRLM (Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihoods Mission)corePartnership for Asha Kiran program working with rural women in Uttar Pradesh for backyard poultry and goatery sustainable livelihoods.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The/Nudge Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BRAC: Global pioneer of the Graduation Approach that The/Nudge explicitly adapted; operates the largest NGO in the world targeting ultra-poor households through similar asset-transfer-plus-training methodology. Most direct functional peer for EIP program design and impact measurement.
- GiveDirectly: Cash-transfer-focused poverty alleviation nonprofit operating across Africa and parts of Asia. Competes for the same donor dollars targeting ultra-poor households and uses rigorous RCT evidence; overlaps with The/Nudge's Consumption Support Grant stream and graduation methodology.
- Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest NGOs focused on education and livelihoods for underprivileged youth. Operates skill-development and economic inclusion programs overlapping with The/Nudge's youth skilling (22K+ youth) and EIP initiatives.
- SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): Indian organization supporting rural women's economic empowerment through cooperatives, livelihoods, and financial inclusion. Direct comparable for The/Nudge's Asha Kiran program (rural women in agricultural communities) and Economic Inclusion Program.
- Trickle Up: Nonprofit implementing the Graduation Approach for extreme poverty globally, originally co-developed the methodology alongside BRAC. Direct functional peer in graduation methodology and ultra-poor targeting.
- Barefoot College: India-based nonprofit providing rural livelihood training (especially solar electrification and skills) to women from marginalized communities. Comparable target beneficiary profile and skill-development approach to The/Nudge's youth skilling programs.
- Bandhan Konnagar: CSR arm of Bandhan Group running livelihood, health, and education programs for ultra-poor communities across India, particularly in West Bengal and Eastern India. Comparable in scale, target demographic, and grant-funded livelihood programs.
- Gray Matters Capital: Impact-focused investor and grantmaker targeting women, girls, and underserved communities through India-focused programs. Overlaps with The/Nudge's social entrepreneurship incubator model and women's economic empowerment focus.
Broad incumbents
- Piramal Foundation: Indian philanthropic foundation of the Piramal Group running large-scale development programs across health, education, livelihoods, and governance. Overlaps with The/Nudge across multiple program verticals but at broader scale with corporate-foundation funding model.
Others
- Omidyar Network India: Existing funder (provided $2M grant in 2021) and impact investor across India's social sector. As a donor they shape the funding ecosystem The/Nudge operates in; included as an ecosystem peer given the deep capital relationship.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Customer concentration
The/Nudge Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe/Nudge Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The/Nudge Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The/Nudge Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors4 records
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The/Nudge Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The/Nudge Foundation
What does The/Nudge Foundation do?
The/Nudge Foundation is a non-profit action institute that runs a portfolio of interconnected livelihood programs targeting ultra-poor households, rural women, and social entrepreneurs in India. Its core offerings include the Economic Inclusion Program (graduation approach), Asha Kiran (rural women's poultry/goatery livelihoods), InSight (vision correction for presbyopia), the Indian Administrative Fellowship (placing private-sector professionals in government), an Incubator and Accelerator for social enterprises, The/Nudge Prize grand challenges, and the annual charcha convening forum. Programs are delivered via partnerships with state and central governments and through proprietary digital platforms including GraminAI, e-Pension Engine, and the Sarathi mobile app.
Is The/Nudge Foundation a public or private company?
The/Nudge Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The/Nudge Foundation founded?
The/Nudge Foundation was founded in 2015. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is The/Nudge Foundation based?
The/Nudge Foundation is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, in the Asia region.
How does The/Nudge Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Grants are the primary driver. The others are government Partnerships and consumption Support Grant (CSG).
Who are The/Nudge Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BRAC, GiveDirectly, Pratham Education Foundation, SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association), Trickle Up, Barefoot College, Bandhan Konnagar and Gray Matters Capital. Piramal Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent. Omidyar Network India is listed as an others.
Does The/Nudge Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The/Nudge Foundation.
What industry is The/Nudge Foundation in?
The/Nudge Foundation's product category is Poverty Alleviation and Livelihood Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAM, Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets, with a secondary code of BPADAEAK, Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming. Its NAICS code is 813410 and its SIC code is 8300.