Name

Empower Foundation

Legal name

Empower Foundation

Website

https://empowerfoundation.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Skills Development and Livelihood Programs

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Financial Inclusion & Consumer Empowerment (Banking Access, Credit Building) (BPAGALAJ), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE)

Keywords

• Vocational skills training
• Women entrepreneurship development
• Informal worker upskilling
• Community development programs
• Preventive healthcare services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Funding: Empower Foundation receives funding from corporate partners under their CSR obligations. Partners such as Vacmet Foundation, SIDBI, Atos Prayas Foundation, AU Foundation, and others co-fund or fully fund specific programs (skilling, healthcare, women entrepreneurship) delivered by the foundation.
2. Srijan Returnable Grants (Recycled Capital): The Srijan program provides returnable grants of Rs. 20,000 to women micro-entrepreneurs. These grants are repaid over 5 months after a 60-day moratorium. Repaid funds are recycled to support new beneficiaries, creating a sustainable cyclical funding model without additional external capital injection. Over Rs. 40 lakhs has been disbursed with a 94.6% repayment rate.
3. Government Grants & Scheme Linkages: Empower Foundation connects beneficiaries to government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, and assists with formalisation through Udyam, FSSAI, and GST registrations. The organisation also receives grants and registrations under FCRA, 12A, 80G, and is listed on the NSE Social Stock Exchange.
4. International Development Partnerships: Partnerships with international bodies such as GIZ (Her & Now project for women entrepreneurship in Uttar Pradesh) and the German Embassy provide programmatic and financial support for specific development initiatives.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Empower Foundation is an Indian non-profit that delivers vocational training, informal worker upskilling, women entrepreneurship development, preventive healthcare, and community development programs to underserved communities. Programs are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries through direct on-ground delivery, the YOUVATI mobile super-app, and corporate, government, and international development partnerships. The Srijan returnable grant micro-lending mechanism provides collateral-free, zero-interest capital to women micro-entrepreneurs.

Product overview

Empower Foundation operates a multi-pronged programme portfolio focused on dignified livelihoods and skill development for underserved communities across India. The core consists of five integrated programmes: Youth Skilling (demand-driven vocational training with placement support), Upskilling of Informal Workers (short-duration practical training for drivers, mechanics, plumbers), Women Entrepreneurship under the Sankalp initiative (entrepreneurship development with formalisation and market access), Community Development (adult literacy, SHGs, health awareness, climate action), and Preventive Healthcare (health camps, screenings, telemedicine, government scheme linkages). These programmes are amplified by two supplementary offerings: Srijan, a micro-lending product providing Rs. 20,000 returnable grants with a 60-day moratorium and 94.6% repayment rate, and Youvati, a multi-lingual mobile super-app that consolidates skilling content, business management tools, networking, and micro-capital access for women entrepreneurs. Together, these products form an end-to-end ecosystem addressing the full spectrum from skills training to enterprise sustainability and capital access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youvati: Multi-lingual super-app platform integrating contextual skilling, business management tools, marketing support, and micro-capital access for women micro-entrepreneurs. Features include beauty & wellness certificate courses, business workshops, digital identity creation, WhatsApp Business setup, advertising tools, and a community networking feature.
• Srijan
• Sankalp

Products and services

• Youth Skilling Demand-driven vocational training program equipping youth with job-aligned skills, industry exposure, workplace readiness, CV building, mock interviews, and structured placement support, with certification by Sector Skill Councils across IT/ITeS, Healthcare, Retail, BFSI, Telecom, and Logistics.
• Upskilling of Informal Workers Short-duration, practical training program for workers already engaged in informal trades such as drivers, mechanics, plumbers, and carpenters, focusing on technical skills, safety standards, digital literacy, financial planning, and access to social security and welfare schemes.
• Women Entrepreneurship (Sankalp) Entrepreneurship development program supporting women with skills training, business planning, financial and digital literacy, mentorship, formalisation support (Udyam, FSSAI, GST registration), market linkages, and early-stage capital to move from informal economic activity to viable, market-linked micro-enterprises.
• Community Development Community-level initiatives covering functional adult literacy (reading, writing, numeracy), Self-Help Group formation, healthcare and nutrition awareness, child development support, rights and entitlements education, financial inclusion, waste management, and tree plantation drives.
• Healthcare (Preventive Health) Preventive healthcare program providing health check-ups, nutrition sessions, awareness on menstrual hygiene, sanitation, mental health, and lifestyle diseases, along with linkages to government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and Janani Suraksha Yojana.
• Srijan Innovative micro-lending product offering collateral-free, zero-interest returnable grants of Rs. 20,000 with a 60-day moratorium and 5-month repayment term, supporting women micro-entrepreneurs with a cyclical funding model that has achieved a 94.6% repayment rate and a 5-7x multiplier effect on social impact.
• Youvati Multi-lingual mobile super-app platform that digitises program operations end-to-end, combining contextual skilling courses (beauty and wellness certificate courses, business workshops), business and marketing tools (digital identity creation, WhatsApp Business setup, advertising tools), networking features, community building, and micro-capital access for women entrepreneurs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 550,000+ lives impacted; 55,000+ youth trained; 40,000+ placed in jobs; 2,150+ women entrepreneurs trained; Rs. 40L+ disbursed via Srijan with 94.6% repayment rate

Named customers6 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

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022SIDBI partnered with Empower Foundation for entrepreneurship development programs. A certification ceremony was held in Bulandshahr and Moradabad where 331 women completed entrepreneurship development training and are launching businesses. SIDBI provides programmatic support, funding, and credibility to the Sankalp women entrepreneurship program.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIZ partnered with Empower Foundation on the Her & Now project for women entrepreneurship development in Uttar Pradesh. Her & Now is a global initiative supporting women entrepreneurs in developing countries. GIZ provides international development funding, technical expertise, and programmatic oversight.
• German Embassy (India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe German Embassy partnered with Empower Foundation on women empowerment initiatives. The partnership supports programs that combine skill development, entrepreneurship training, and social inclusion for women from marginalised communities.
• Jio BPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJio BP partnered with Empower Foundation for skill training programs, particularly for mechanics and other informal sector workers. The partnership includes certification and placement support for trainees completing the programs.
• Vacmet FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVacmet Foundation partnered with Empower Foundation for environmental protection and tree plantation programs, as well as skill development certification programs for workers. The partnership includes health camp initiatives for municipal corporation workers.
• Atos Prayas FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtos Prayas Foundation partnered with Empower Foundation on upskilling initiatives for informal sector workers. The foundation provides programmatic support and funding for skill development training programs.
• AU FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAU Foundation partnered with Empower Foundation on skill development and community upskilling programs. The partnership supports training initiatives for youth and informal workers in underserved communities.
• Prince PipesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrince Pipes partnered with Empower Foundation to host health camps in partnership with the organisation. The collaboration provides preventive health screenings and medical consultations for community members.
• Castrol (Eklavya Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCastrol partnered with Empower Foundation under the Eklavya Initiative for mechanic certification. Empower Pragati's certification ceremony for mechanics was conducted under this partnership, providing formal recognition and skill upgrades for automobile service workers.
• Sector Skill Councils (SSCs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpower Foundation works with recognised Sector Skill Councils for youth assessment and certification. SSCs provide standardised credentialing across sectors including IT/ITeS, Healthcare, Retail, BFSI, Telecom, and Logistics, adding credibility and formal recognition to trainee achievements.
• Mahendra Singh Dhoni CollegeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmpower Foundation launched a skill training initiative at Mahendra Singh Dhoni College in partnership with the institution, providing students with vocational skills and employment readiness training.

Scale indicators31 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): India's apex public-private skill development body coordinating hundreds of training partners and Sector Skill Councils. Empower Foundation's programs feed into NSDC's SSC certification ecosystem, positioning it as both a partner and an indirect incumbent in the broader skilling space.

Direct peers

• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest NGOs focused on education and livelihood programs for underserved communities, with comparable youth skilling, adult literacy, and community development initiatives. Pratham operates at far greater scale but shares Empower Foundation's mission of building pathways out of poverty through skills.
• SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): A prominent Indian trade union and women's empowerment organization supporting informal-sector women workers with training, credit access, and market linkages. SEWA is directly comparable to Empower Foundation's Sankalp women entrepreneurship program and Srijan returnable grants model.
• Barefoot College: India-based nonprofit training rural, often semi-literate community members (especially women) in practical skills including solar engineering, healthcare, and livelihood trades. Comparable to Empower Foundation's grassroots-led skilling of informal workers and rural women.
• Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF): Foundation focused on rural livelihood transformation through SHG mobilization, government scheme linkages, and community-led development. Highly comparable to Empower Foundation's community development and SHG formation programs across rural India.
• SELCO Foundation: India-based nonprofit addressing energy poverty through sustainable livelihoods and skills training. Comparable in mission (underserved community empowerment via skills) and geographic focus, though specialized in clean energy rather than multi-sector skilling.
• Mann Deshi Foundation: Rural Maharashtra-based nonprofit providing financial literacy, micro-lending, and entrepreneurship training to underserved women. Highly comparable to Empower Foundation's Sankalp program and Srijan grant model, with a similar target beneficiary profile.
• Industree Foundation: Indian nonprofit supporting women-led producer groups and micro-enterprises through training, design support, and market linkages. Directly comparable to Empower Foundation's Sankalp women entrepreneurship program and informal-sector focus.

Others

• Dasra: Indian philanthropic advisory and capacity-building organization supporting high-impact nonprofits, including those in livelihoods and women's empowerment. Relevant as an enabling ecosystem partner that works with organizations like Empower Foundation on funding strategy, governance, and scale.

Emerging players

• Digital Green: Tech-enabled nonprofit using video and digital tools to extend agricultural and livelihood training to rural communities in India and globally. Comparable through its use of technology to scale community-based skilling, similar in spirit to Empower Foundation's YOUVATI mobile platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/empower_f
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@empowerfoundation1707
• Facebookfacebook.com/empowerfoundation1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empowerfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/empower_foundation_

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empower Foundation