A Million for A Billion 1M1B

What A Million for A Billion 1M1B does

1M1B (One Million for One Billion) Foundation is a United Nations-accredited non-profit organization founded in 2014 by Manav Subodh and Dr. Swati Subodh, headquartered in India with a regional office in New York. The organization focuses on skilling Indian youth in AI and Green Skills with explicit emphasis on Tier 3 towns and rural India. Over the last decade, 1M1B reports having skilled 800,000+ young people across 5,000+ schools and colleges, trained 25,000+ teachers, and achieved 70-80% employment rates through its job mela placement pipeline. The organization holds special consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is associated with the UN Department of Global Communications, and is accredited to UNEP.

The core product portfolio consists of multiple branded programs. The AI Youth Skills Program (with IBM) delivers a CBSE-aligned AI curriculum for grades 11-12 available to 26,000+ schools, with mentoring, IBM SkillsBuild digital badges, and an AI Youth Lab announced in partnership with the UN. The Green Skills Academy (with Salesforce) operates Career Readiness Centres in Kuppam, Hyderabad, and Shillong, targeting 1 lakh green internships by 2030. The Sustainability Accelerator (with ABFRL) targets 1 million changemakers by 2030. Centres of Excellence (with Microsoft and MeitY Startup Hub) are being established in Bengaluru, Noida, Lucknow, Shillong, and Hyderabad for applied AI and climate action. YuvaAI, a national Government of India initiative launched November 2025, builds LLM and Generative AI capacity. Other products include Business Raja (AI/ML conversational credit assessment for rural entrepreneurs), Job Melas & Placement Drives, Future Leaders Program, Digital Nagrik (with Meta), Changemakers World Cup, and HeritEdge (sustainable fashion sub-brand).

1M1B's business model is grant and partnership-driven, not commercial. Revenue streams include CSR and foundation grants (from IBM, Salesforce, ABFRL, Meta, eBay, Oppo), government contracts and MoUs (with state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya, and central ministries including MeitY, AICTE, MOTA, DST), and placement services. Programs are free for participants. Distribution runs through schools, colleges, job melas, and government-implemented statewide programs rather than direct sales. The organization operates with a lean core team of 1-10 employees while executing at large scale through an extensive partner and volunteer network.

Name

A Million for A Billion 1M1B

Legal name

1M1B Foundation (One Million for One Billion)

Website

https://activate1m1b.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

1M1B Foundation is a UN-accredited non-profit skilling Indian youth in AI and Green Skills across 5,000+ schools and Tier 3/rural communities, connecting 70-80% of program participants to employment via job melas and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Skilling and Employment Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Computer Training (611420), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI & Machine Learning (Foundations & Applied) (EDAMACAG), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Small Business & Self-Employment Personal Finance (Income, Expenses, Cash Reserves) (EDAAAJAL)

Keywords

• Youth skills training
• AI education programs
• Green skills training
• Employment placement services
• Vocational education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. CSR and Foundation Grants: Revenue from corporate social responsibility partnerships and foundation grants from organizations like IBM, Salesforce, ABFRL to fund skilling programs
2. Government Contracts: MOU and contract partnerships with state governments (Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya) for implementing AI and green skills programs
3. Placement and Job Mela Services: Connecting employers to job seekers through placement drives, with employment outcomes as the primary measure of success

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

1M1B Foundation operates a youth skilling and employment platform that delivers AI and Green Skills training programs to students and young adults across 5,000+ schools and colleges in India, with a focus on Tier 3 towns and rural India. The organization combines curriculum-based skilling (AI Youth Skills, Green Skills Academy, YuvaAI, Sustainability Accelerator) with a grassroots-to-industry employment pipeline of Job Melas and placement drives, and partners with corporations, UN bodies, and state governments to scale programs. Standalone technology offerings include the Business Raja AI/ML conversational credit and mentoring platform for rural entrepreneurs and the HeritEdge sustainable fashion store.

Product overview

1M1B (One Million for One Billion) is a United Nations-accredited non-profit organization offering a multi-pronged platform focused on AI and Green Skills talent development for Indian youth, particularly in Tier 3 towns and rural India. The core offerings include: (1) AI Youth Skills Program in partnership with IBM featuring CBSE-aligned curriculum for grades 11-12 with digital badges from IBM SkillsBuild; (2) YuvaAI Initiative - a Government of India national program for LLM and Generative AI skilling; (3) Green Skills Academy with Salesforce featuring Career Readiness Centres in multiple states and internship programs; (4) Sustainability Accelerator with ABFRL targeting 1 million changemakers by 2030; (5) Centres of Excellence (CoEs) with Microsoft and MeitY Startup Hub across 5 cities for applied AI and climate solutions; (6) Future Leaders Program for UN SDG-aligned youth leadership development; (7) Digital Nagrik with Meta for digital citizenship; (8) Changemakers World Cup for youth recognition; (9) Job Melas & Placement Drives connecting rural youth to employment; (10) 1M1B Activate Impact Summit at UN Headquarters; (11) HeritEdge sustainable fashion brand; and (12) Business Raja AI-powered credit assessment platform for rural entrepreneurs. The platform operates across 5,000+ schools and colleges, having skilled 800,000+ youth with 70-80% employment placement rates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AI Youth Skills: Program in partnership with IBM empowering students to build foundational skills in AI and develop AI-based solutions for real-world problems
• Green Skills Academy
• Future Leaders Program
• Digital Nagrik
• Changemakers World Cup
• HeritEdge
• 1M1B Activate Impact Summit
• Centres of Excellence (CoEs)

Products and services

• AI Youth Skills Program Flagship program, in partnership with IBM and CBSE, that empowers students in grades 11 and 12 to build foundational AI skills and develop AI-based solutions for real-world problems, with mentoring by IBM volunteers, digital badges from IBM SkillsBuild, and internship and showcase opportunities for top students.
• Green Skills Academy Program in partnership with Salesforce that trains students for green jobs and connects them to internships and work opportunities; includes Green Skills Fellowship for entrepreneurship and physical Career Readiness Centres in Kuppam, Hyderabad, and Shillong.
• YuvaAI Initiative National initiative implemented with the Government of India that builds foundational and applied AI capabilities among youth through hands-on learning in Large Language Models and Generative AI, creating a full-stack ecosystem from learning to startup acceleration.
• Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for Green Skills and Applied AI for Climate Action National network of applied innovation hubs, in collaboration with Microsoft and MeitY Startup Hub, where students develop sustainability and climate-tech solutions using AI, data analytics, and emerging technologies across renewable energy, water systems, waste management, sustainable infrastructure, and circular economy.
• Sustainability Accelerator Program in partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL) that equips youth with sustainability mindset and skills for green jobs, impacting 1 million young changemakers by 2030 and offering a 5-day immersive internship at ABFRL for top students.
• Digital Nagrik Program in partnership with Meta that empowers 1 million teachers and 10 million students with digital citizenship and online safety skills through curriculum and pledge programs.
• Job Melas and Placement Drives Employment services that connect rural and semi-urban youth directly to employers through Job Melas and placement drives, with pre-placement training, resume and interview preparation, career counselling, and job matching across multiple industry verticals.
• Business Raja AI/ML conversational credit assessment and mentoring platform for rural entrepreneurs, providing automated credit evaluation and business guidance to support first-generation business owners.
• Future Tech Olympiad First-of-its-kind Olympiad testing students on emerging technologies such as AI, with participation from 150,000+ students across three editions.
• Future Leaders Program Program empowering youth to tackle global challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship, aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, with top students showcasing annually at the UN Activate Impact Summit.
• Purpose Academy Program in partnership with SCET, UC Berkeley, focused on purpose-driven education and skills development for youth leaders.
• HeritEdge Sustainable fashion store under 1M1B featuring 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton clothing; uses embroidery over printing to avoid microplastics and a pay-it-forward system where profits from purchases go directly to grassroots initiatives.
• Smart Village Accelerator Startup acceleration program for smart village development, originally launched in partnership with UC Berkeley and Social Alpha (Tata Trusts) with DST support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70-80% employment rate through job melas and placement drives
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Godrej Agrovet LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership for Disha, a Women's Career Accelerator Programme helping women gain job-ready skills and transition into formal employment in India's agriculture sector. Over 33% of women participants already placed across agri industry roles.
• Ikka Learning FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Implementing partner for Disha Women's Career Accelerator Programme alongside 1M1B Foundation and Godrej Agrovet. Engaged 276 women students across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
• Government of Uttar PradeshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025MOU with Uttar Pradesh to implement AI Youth Skills Program under AI Pragya programme. Global technology firms including Microsoft, Google, Intel, IBM and 1M1B partnering with the state. UP accounts for 65% of India's mobile phone production.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Building national network of Green Skills & Applied AI for Climate Action Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in collaboration with Microsoft and MeitY Startup Hub. Five CoEs being established across Bengaluru, Noida, Lucknow, Shillong, and Hyderabad as applied innovation hubs.
• MeitY Startup HubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Government partner for establishing Green Skills & Applied AI for Climate Action CoEs. Part of Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. Also provides National Problem Solvers Registry access for emerging climate talent.
• Government of Telangana (SPEED)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MoU signed with Government of Telangana (SPEED) to establish India's first Youth Climate Action and Innovation Centre. Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana and CEO, SPEED attended Geneva summit.
• Kuppam Area Development Authority (KADA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with KADA of Andhra Pradesh to set up 1M1B Green Skills Academy's Career Readiness Centre in Kuppam. First center inaugurated by CM N. Chandrababu Naidu. Equips youth with green skills in e-waste management, renewable energy, electric mobility, and sustainable agriculture.
• AICTEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Launched 1 lakh green internships by 2030 in partnership with AICTE. 100-day campaign offering ~5,000 green internships in partnership with Oppo and AICTE.
• OppominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Launched 100-day campaign offering ~5,000 green internships in partnership with Oppo and AICTE
• Government of MeghalayacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Partnership with Meghalaya government to set up 2nd Green Skills Academy in Shillong
• Government of TelanganacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024First state-level MoU to establish 1M1B Green Skills centre in Telangana, with focus on AI + green skills
• SalesforcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Green Skills Academy in partnership with Salesforce, bridging skills gap by training students for green jobs and connecting them to internships and work opportunities. Also fosters entrepreneurship through Green Skills Fellowship. 10,000 green internships in Year 1 under 1 lakh by 2030 target.
• Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20231M1B Sustainability Accelerator in partnership with ABFRL, equipping youth with sustainability mindset and skills for green jobs. Program impacting 1 million young changemakers by 2030. 5-day immersive internship at ABFRL for top 20 students. 6,500+ student nominations received from 600 schools.
• Ministry of Tribals Affairs (MOTA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022MOU with Ministry of Tribals Affairs to launch AR/VR training in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) - a step towards democratizing skills and making an inclusive Metaverse
• MetacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Digital Nagrik partnership with Meta to empower 1 million teachers and 10 million students with digital citizenship and safety skills. Also partnership to develop Metaverse for Education in India with vision to engage 10 million students and 1 million teachers, launched across CBSE with 25,000 school outreach.
• UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020The Purpose Academy launched in partnership with SCET, UC Berkeley. Manav Subodh appointed as Garwood Innovation Fellow, UC Berkeley. 1M1B student team won second runner-up at UC Berkeley's Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) in 2018.
• IBMcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2019AI Youth Skills program in partnership with IBM, empowering students with foundational AI skills and AI-based solutions for real-world problems. IBM volunteers provide mentoring, and digital badges from IBM SkillsBuild platform form the core of the program with internships and showcase opportunities for top students annually. Also partnered for Skills Accelerator scaled to 16 sites.
• CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019AI Youth Skills curriculum developed for grades 11 & 12 of CBSE, made available to 26,000+ schools under CBSE. Curriculum designed as per global standards complying with UNESCO's AI framework.
• DST (Govt of India) and Social Alpha (Tata Trusts)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership with DST and Social Alpha (initiative of Tata Trusts) for Startup Gurukool (Smart Village Accelerator re-branded)
• EdunetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Skills Accelerator scaled to 16 sites in partnership with IBM and Edunet Foundation
• McKinseyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2015Partnership with McKinsey for Generation Project to upskill Healthcare Workers in 2015
• UN HabitatminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2015Change the World Internships launched in Caribbean, India and US in partnership with UN Habitat in April 2015

Scale indicators29 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation): India's government-backed apex skilling body, operating across vocational, AI, and green skills with massive funding and policy reach. Highly comparable as 1M1B's programs (Green Skills, AI Youth Skills) directly overlap NSDC's mandate and compete for state-government skilling contracts.
• Tata STRIVE: Tata Group's CSR-led skilling initiative operating vocational, IT, and green job training centers across India. Comparable scale, CSR-funded model, employer-linked placement approach, and focus on youth from underserved backgrounds.
• NASSCOM Foundation: Indian tech industry's CSR and social-impact arm running large-scale digital literacy and employability programs for underserved youth. Comparable as a technology-focused nonprofit skilling convener partnering with the same corporate and state-government ecosystem as 1M1B.
• Microsoft Global Skills Initiative: Microsoft's global skilling programs (including LinkedIn Learning integration and AI for Good) targeted at underserved youth and workforce transitions. 1M1B's CoE network with Microsoft on AI + climate skills runs alongside these programs, making Microsoft a partner and a direct alternative channel.
• Skill India / PMKVY: Government of India's flagship Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, the largest publicly-funded skilling scheme in India. 1M1B's state-MOU-driven Green Skills and AI Youth Skills programs compete with and complement PMKVY's short-term skilling mandates in the same rural and Tier 3 town markets.

Direct peers

• Generation (by McKinsey): Global nonprofit providing free, employment-focused training to underserved youth with strong placement outcomes. Closely comparable model to 1M1B's job mela + skilling pipeline; notably McKinsey itself partnered with 1M1B in 2015 for the Generation Project, evidencing direct category overlap.
• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest education nonprofits focused on literacy, numeracy, and youth employability for underserved populations. Comparable as a high-scale Indian education-access nonprofit with similar grassroots-to-government delivery model and rural focus.
• Magic Bus India Foundation: Indian youth livelihoods nonprofit delivering skilling and employment outcomes for adolescents and young adults from low-income communities. Directly comparable mission (rural youth → employment), employer-engagement model, and CSR-funded operating structure.
• Quest Alliance: Indian nonprofit enabling 21st-century skills, employability, and entrepreneurship for underprivileged youth through school and college programs. Comparable as a tech-enabled, employer-linked nonprofit skilling player working with state governments and corporate CSR partners.
• IBM SkillsBuild: IBM's free digital-skills and AI-learning platform offering curriculum, credentials, and employer pathways globally. 1M1B's flagship AI Youth Skills program runs on IBM SkillsBuild, making it both a partner and a structural substitute if IBM directly served the same Indian audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Activate1M1B
• Facebookfacebook.com/amillionforabillion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1m1b
• Instagraminstagram.com/1m1bfoundation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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