Breakthrough

What Breakthrough does

Breakthrough Trust is an Indian nonprofit organisation founded in 1999 and headquartered in New Delhi, working to end gender inequality and gender-based violence in India. It targets adolescents and young people aged 11-25 as its primary beneficiary cohort, alongside their families, communities and government school systems. The organisation reports reaching over 5.4 million adolescents and young people across 26 years, working with 29,000+ schools across nine Indian states (Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha and additional coalition geographies), and partners with state governments in Punjab (Chaman Rishman) and Odisha (Barnali), as well as with the Government of India's flagship Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign.

Breakthrough's product portfolio is built around social norm change rather than technology. Core offerings include mass-media campaigns (Bell Bajao, which reportedly reached 150 million+ people), school-based gender equality curricula, community engagement programs, the annual REFRAME summit, the India Coalition for Education for Gender Equality (co-led with 32+ partner organisations covering ~90% of India's geography), and the Taaron Ki Toli IVRS-based outreach program. Media assets (TV ads, radio spots, documentaries, music videos, animations and soundtracks) are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence, with all-women creative teams producing cultural interventions. VR films are used tactically for career-opportunity storytelling; however the organisation's core delivery model is human-led school and community programming rather than technology products.

Revenue is generated entirely from donations. Approximately 82% of funds raised go to programs and campaigns, 12% to administrative expenses and 6% to fundraising costs. Donors include Indian individuals and corporations as well as international foundations such as the Skoll Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Echidna Giving and Girls First Fund. The Trust holds 12A, 80G, FCRA and PAN certifications, enabling 50% tax exemption for donors under Section 80(G) of India's Income Tax Act. Recognitions include the Nari Shakti Puraskar from the Government of India (2016), The Skoll Award for Social Innovation (2016) and Social Impact Honours (2025).

Name

Breakthrough

Legal name

Breakthrough Trust

Website

https://inbreakthrough.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Breakthrough is an Indian nonprofit (Breakthrough Trust) working to end gender inequality and gender-based violence, reaching adolescents and young people through media campaigns, school programs, community engagement and government partnerships across nine states in India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gender Equality Social Impact Programs

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Gender equality programs
• Gender-based violence prevention
• Adolescent empowerment initiatives
• School-based gender education
• Social norm change campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Majority of donations are raised from concerned individuals who want to make a difference to society. Breakthrough raises resources from individuals directly as well as with support of authorized partners.
2. Foundation Grants: Funding received from globally respected foundations including Skoll Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Echidna Giving, and Girls First Fund. These foundation grants support programs and campaigns against gender-based violence.
3. Corporate Donations: Corporate donations from Indian companies alongside individual donations. Organizations are authorized to raise funds for Breakthrough with identification cards and authorized donation forms.
4. Donation Allocation: Approximately 82% of funds raised go directly to programs and campaigns, 12% supports administrative expenses, and 6% is the cost of fundraising.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Breakthrough is an Indian nonprofit (Breakthrough Trust) that designs and delivers gender-equality and gender-based-violence prevention programmes targeting adolescents aged 11–25. Its portfolio includes mass media campaigns (Bell Bajao, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao communications), school-based gender-norm change programmes (Chaman Rishman with Punjab, Barnali with Odisha), community engagement initiatives, the Taaron Ki Toli IVRS programme, and the annual REFRAME summit.

Product overview

Breakthrough is a nonprofit organization (Breakthrough Trust) focused on gender equality and ending violence against women and girls. The organization operates a portfolio of social programs including: mass media campaigns (Bell Bajao, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao) that have reached hundreds of millions; school-based programs (Chaman Rishman with Punjab government, Barnali with Odisha government) working with over 29,000 schools; community engagement initiatives; and the annual REFRAME summit. Programs target adolescents and young people aged 11-25 years across 9 states in India, having reached over 5.4 million individuals. The organization also leads the India Coalition for Education for Gender Equality covering nearly 90% of India's geography.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Reframe: Breakthrough's annual summit that brings together diverse sectors to move gender equality from conversation to action.
• India Coalition for Education for Gender Equality
• Taaron Ki Toli
• Bell Bajao

Products and services

• Media Campaigns (Bell Bajao, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao communications) Mass media campaigns that use TV, radio, and digital platforms to shift mindsets and cultural norms around gender-based violence and discrimination. Bell Bajao reached 150 million+ people.
• School-Based Gender Equality Programs (Chaman Rishman, Barnali) Gender norm change programs delivered through 29,000+ schools, implemented in partnership with the Government of Punjab (Chaman Rishman) and Government of Odisha (Barnali). Reached over 2.3 million young people.
• Taaron Ki Toli

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.4 million+ adolescents and young people reached over 26 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• India Coalition for Education for Gender EqualitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational platform co-led by Breakthrough bringing together over 32 civil society organisations, researchers, youth leaders, and academic institutions to advance systemic change in and through education. Coalition partners cover nearly 90% of India's geography and reach over 50 million adolescents.
• Government of PunjabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership implementing Chaman Rishman programme - a school-based gender equality initiative that has reached over 2.3 million young people.
• Government of OdishacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership implementing Barnali programme - adolescent empowerment program operating in districts including Keonjhar.
• Government of India - Beti Bachao Beti PadhaoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreakthrough's communication material is used by the government's flagship Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign - a major national initiative for girls' welfare. This represents high-level government recognition and institutional distribution.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CREA (Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action): India- and South Asia-based feminist human rights organization focused on gender equality, sexuality, and ending violence against women. Directly comparable in mission, programmatic mix (advocacy + media + community), and India-based scale.
• Jagori Rural Charitable Trust: Indian women's rights and empowerment NGO working on gender-based violence, community mobilization, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable as a grassroots-to-policy gender equality organization in India.
• Martha Farrell Foundation: India-based NGO focused on gender equality, women's empowerment, and gender mainstreaming in workplaces and communities. Comparable mission and capacity-building approach.
• Naz Foundation (India) Trust: Indian NGO working at the intersection of gender, sexuality, health, and adolescent empowerment. Comparable target population (adolescents/young people) and community-led engagement model.
• The YP Foundation: Indian youth-led organization working on gender, sexuality, and rights for young people aged 13-29. Highly comparable on target demographic (adolescents/young people) and rights-based programming.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF India: UN agency working on child and adolescent rights including gender equality in India. Comparable in working with government education systems and adolescents, but operating at vastly larger scale and scope.
• Plan International India: Indian arm of a global INGO focused on girls' rights, child protection, and gender equality. Comparable mission and school-based programming, with much larger international footprint and resources.
• Population Foundation of India: Larger established Indian nonprofit working on gender, reproductive health, and adolescent empowerment with government partnerships. Overlapping in target population and government engagement, but broader scope.
• Save the Children India: India affiliate of global INGO working on child rights, education, and gender equality. Comparable school-based gender programming and government partnerships, but with broader child welfare mandate.

Emerging players

• Equality Now: Global gender equality advocacy organization using media, law, and campaigns to end violence and discrimination against women and girls. Comparable on media-driven norm-change approach (similar to Bell Bajao) and global-to-local operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/inbreakthrough
• Facebookfacebook.com/BreakthroughIN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breakthrough-india

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Breakthrough