Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA)

What Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA) does

TARA (Technology and Action for Rural Advancement), legally The Society for Technology & Action for Rural Advancement, is a non-profit social enterprise established in 1985 in New Delhi as the incubation engine of the Development Alternatives Group. The organisation pursues sustainable livelihoods at scale through four service pillars: technology solutions, business model incubation, advisory services, and capacity building. Its technology portfolio spans point-of-use water disinfection (Aqua+), the multi-institutional PANI-WATER water treatment programme, eco-friendly building materials including LC3 cement that cuts CO2 emissions by 40%, waste-to-wealth i-STED entrepreneurship, decentralised rooftop solar, biomass processing, and hyperlocal IoT air quality monitoring.

TARA serves a hybrid customer base spanning rural and marginalised communities, central and state government agencies, large corporations seeking Bottom-of-Pyramid market access, civil society networks, and rural MSMEs. Revenue is generated through a mix of advisory and consulting fees, project management charges, technology licensing, hardware sales via spin-offs, and grant-funded development programmes. The go-to-motion combines enterprise field sales to governments and corporates, sales-led project execution, and community-led engagement through community radio (Radio Bundelkhand, Chanderi ki Awaaz, Waqt ki Awaaz, Lalit Lokvani, Kisan Vani) and direct field implementation.

Operations span India, South and South-East Asia, and East Africa, with headquarters in New Delhi. TARA has spawned five wholly-owned subsidiaries — TARAlife Sustainability Solutions, TARAurja, TARA Machines, TARAenviro, iMEDF — and supports 150+ i-STED science and technology enterprises. Notable partners include ADB, UNDP India, Rockefeller Foundation, Philips Foundation, GIZ-Lacuna Fund, IIED, Green Economy Coalition, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and Promac Engineering.

Name

Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA)

Legal name

The Society for Technology & Action for Rural Advancement

Website

https://tara.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TARA is a 1985-founded social enterprise of the Development Alternatives Group, delivering technology solutions, business-model incubation, advisory services, and capacity building to governments, large corporations, rural communities, and CSOs across India, South and South-East Asia, and East Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Development Services

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Growth, Livelihoods & Private Sector Development (BPADAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE), Technical Assistance, Policy Lending & Capacity Building Programs (BPADACAN), Development Finance & Blended Finance Facilities (BPADAOAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable development services
• Rural livelihood incubation
• Clean technology advisory
• Capacity building programs
• Environmental consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Tikamgarh

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: TARA generates revenue through consultancy fees for advisory services, project management fees for large development programmes, technology licensing, and capacity building training programmes for governments and corporations.
2. Technology Commercialization:
3. Project Grants and Development Funding:

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TARA develops and deploys sustainable technology solutions (water treatment, green building materials, renewable energy, waste-to-wealth), incubates scalable business models, provides advisory services on policy and finance for green economy transition, and delivers capacity building programs for rural livelihoods. The organization operates as an "incubation engine" of the Development Alternatives Group, bundling support service packages and aggregating output from local producer groups to access Bottom of Pyramid markets.

Product overview

TARA (Society for Technology & Action for Rural Advancement) is a social enterprise established in 1985 as part of the Development Alternatives Group. Rather than a single product or platform, TARA offers an integrated portfolio of sustainability-focused services organized around four core pillars: Technology Solutions (including water treatment technologies like PANI-WATER and Aqua+), Business Models (incubating sustainable enterprises including waste-to-wealth ventures), Advisory Services (policy research and consulting), and Capacity Building (skills development including the Skills to Livelihood Programme and Bridge2Naukri digital platform). TARA also operates flagship initiatives such as the i-STED entrepreneurship development project, Smart Power India for rural solar energy, the LC3 cement technology program, and the National Sustainable Habitat Campaign. The organization functions as an 'incubation engine' having spawned several for-profit companies including TARAlife Sustainability Solutions, TARAmachines, and TARAurja.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technology Solutions
• Business Models
• Advisory Services
• Capacity Building
• Aqua+ Point-of-Use Water Disinfectant
• Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3)
• Bridge2Naukri Digital Platform
• Smart Power for Rural Development (SPRD)
• i-STED (Innovation-Science and Technology based Entrepreneurship Development)
• Hyperlocal Air Quality Monitoring Network

Quantifiable outcome

• LC3 cement cuts CO2 emissions by 40% compared to traditional cement production.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and regional.

• Philips FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported distribution of 100,000 LED bulbs and LED tube lights to rural customers through Energy Servicing Companies (ESCOs) sites.
• UNDP IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Hyperlocal Mapping of Air Pollution and GHG Emissions project, supporting open-source model for data-driven urban climate action.
• GIZ-Lacuna FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for the Hyperlocal Mapping of Air Pollution and GHG Emissions project.
• International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Green Economy Coalition communication guide and Green Recovery Dialogues project assessing Bihar's green budget.
• Green Economy Coalition (GEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned TARA to develop Communication Guide for nudging policymakers towards green economy transition in India.
• Azim Premji UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Climate Change Communications and Outreach through Community Radio project in Bundelkhand region.
• Adaptation Fund NGO Network - German WatchregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerTARA serves as regional hub partner for South Asia, supporting CSOs to enhance access to adaptation finance.
• CRISILcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for Uttar Pradesh Power Distribution Network Rehabilitation Project focused on improving electricity supply quality and reliability.
• RCSI IrelandcoreTechnology or IntegrationLed by Dr. Kevin McGuigan, RCSI leads the PANI-WATER project with 18 partners to develop water treatment prototypes removing contaminants of emerging concerns.
• NEERI NagpurcoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-led by Dr. Rita Dhodapkar, NEERI is Indian partner in PANI-WATER project developing innovative water treatment technologies.
• Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned agreement on 17 August 2023 for Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) feasibility studies in Nepal.
• Promac EngineeringcoreTechnology or IntegrationSigned MoU in March 2024 to provide turnkey solutions for calcined clay cement production in India and globally.
• Smart Power India (SPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to create enabling ecosystem for rural solar energy transition by partnering with technology providers, financial institutions, and government agencies.
• Development Alternatives GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of which TARA is a social enterprise, providing development solutions in India and elsewhere.
• i-STED (Innovation Science and Technology based Entrepreneurship Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject focused on waste-to-wealth entrepreneurship development using eco-friendly building materials, packaging, and processed fuel, creating 150+ enterprises.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Intellecap (part of The/Nudge Group): Social enterprise advisory and investor that builds and funds inclusive businesses in India and emerging Asia. Comparable to TARA's advisory and business-model incubation services for governments, corporations, and CSOs.
• Barefoot College: Indian social enterprise that trains rural 'barefoot' entrepreneurs (especially women) in solar electrification, water, and education. Comparable to TARA's community-led, technology-plus-capacity-building model for rural BoP service delivery.
• Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP): Indian NGO enabling women-led rural enterprises in climate-resilient agriculture, energy, and water. Directly comparable to TARA's rural women-led livelihood and MSME incubation work, particularly in drought-prone regions like Maharashtra.
• SELCO Foundation: Indian social enterprise focused on sustainable energy access and livelihoods for underserved communities. Highly comparable to TARA's Smart Power for Rural Development and ESCO-based rural energy programs, with similar ESG-aligned grant and impact-investor funding model.
• ARTI (Appropriate Rural Technology Institute): NGO that develops and disseminates low-cost rural technologies in energy, water, and agriculture. Directly comparable to TARA's technology-solutions pillar (Aqua+, PANI-WATER, LC3, smart power) aimed at rural Indian communities.
• Villgro: One of India's oldest social enterprise incubators and impact investors, supporting rural BoP ventures in energy, agriculture, and health. Directly comparable to TARA's enterprise incubation model behind TARAlife, TARAurja, TARA Machines, and iMEDF.
• PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action): Prominent Indian NGO that promotes rural livelihoods through women's self-help groups and small enterprises. Directly comparable to TARA's rural capacity-building, skills-to-livelihood, and MSME incubation mandate in low-income Indian geographies.

Broad incumbents

• TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute): Large Indian research and policy institute covering energy, environment, and sustainable development. Broader, more established incumbent in the same sustainability space as TARA, with deeper government and multilateral partnerships but a wider scope.
• SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): Large Indian trade union and social enterprise organizing women in the informal economy for livelihoods, finance, and market access. Operates at much greater scale than TARA across similar rural and BoP segments in India.
• Aga Khan Foundation: Large international development organization with deep India and South Asia presence in rural livelihoods, water, and civil society strengthening. Comparable to TARA's broader international-development operating model, though at significantly larger scale and budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tara-tech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 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 Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA)