Smart Village Movement
Smart Village Movement is a non-profit founded in 2016 at UC Berkeley-Haas that runs an open innovation platform and rural development programs across Indian states, serving underserved communities through healthcare, education, agriculture, water, energy, and livelihood initiatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersChino, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Smart Village Movement does
Smart Village Movement (SVM) is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 at the UC Berkeley-Haas Garwood Center for Growth Markets by Solomon Darwin, operating through a dual-entity structure: Smart Village Movement Foundation, a 501(c)(3) in the United States (EIN 88-3030799), and a separately registered non-profit society in India under the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act with 80(G) tax certification. Its mission is to drive socio-economic development in underserved Indian villages across eight verticals: Agriculture, Education, Healthcare, Connectivity, Energy, Livelihood, Water, and Sanitation. SVM's defining methodology is a "Triple Helix" open innovation model that coordinates state governments (Meghalaya, Gujarat), academic institutions (UC Berkeley Haas), and corporate technology partners around community-implemented pilot projects intended to scale organically rather than depend on perpetual aid.
SVM's core product is an Open Innovation Platform that connects companies, students, and researchers with rural challenges, paired with a portfolio of on-ground programs. These include STEM Innovation Hubs in rural schools (12 in Gujarat with plans for 35 more), Apollo Telehealth Centers and Gramin Healthcare polyclinics for rural healthcare, Tech Eagle hybrid-VTOL drone medicine delivery, Bharat Rohan hyperspectral drone crop monitoring for ginger farmers, Clearbot AI-powered lake-cleaning robots, atmospheric water generators, a Plastic Waste Upcycling and Artisan Livelihood training program, and the Vatrak Cardiac & Vascular Hospital (76 beds, ₹90 crore initial investment) under development in Gujarat. Partner-provided AI is embedded in select programs, including MayaMD.ai for health screening and Clearbot for environmental robotics.
SVM does not sell products or services. Its revenue model is donation-driven, sourced from individual donors, corporate partnerships, fundraising events (a single 2022 Cerritos event raised $680,000), and government grants. Pricing is structured as tiered one-time and monthly donations, including $20 per child per year for STEM programs and dedicated capital campaigns such as the Vatrak Hospital fund. The go-to-market is event-driven and partnership-led, relying on state government relationships, the UC Berkeley affiliation, and a curated network of corporate technology partners to deliver programs through community ambassadors and block coordinators.
Smart Village Movement firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smart Village Movement
- Legal name
- Smart Village Movement Foundation
- Website
- https://smartvillagemovement.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Smart Village Movement is a non-profit founded in 2016 at UC Berkeley-Haas that runs an open innovation platform and rural development programs across Indian states, serving underserved communities through healthcare, education, agriculture, water, energy, and livelihood initiatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smart Village Movement industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rural Development Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (81341)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Inclusion & Civic Tech (Connectivity, GovTech for Social Good) (BPAGALAK), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)
Keywords
Where Smart Village Movement is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chino
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Smart Village Movement business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: SVM relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. They are registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the US and have 80(G) certification in India, making donations tax-deductible.
- Corporate Partnerships: Companies partner with SVM to pilot technology or services in rural India, with the organization facilitating access to rural markets and government partnerships.
- Government Grants and Collaborations: State governments like Meghalaya and Gujarat collaborate with SVM on development projects, providing funding and institutional support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | General donations for rural innovation and operations |
| Other | One time | STEM Education Program donations |
| Other | One time | Vatrak Hospital Project |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Smart Village Movement product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smart Village Movement is a non-profit organization that facilitates technology-driven rural development in India through an Open Innovation Platform connecting government, academia, corporates, and rural communities. It operates programs across eight verticals—Healthcare, Agriculture, Education, Connectivity, Energy, Livelihood, Water, and Sanitation—including telehealth centers, rural polyclinics, STEM Innovation Hubs, drone medicine delivery, and a cardiac hospital under development. The organization is funded primarily by donations, grants, and corporate partnerships and pilots scalable solutions in partnership with state governments.
Product overview
Smart Village Movement operates as a collaborative non-profit organization working in alliance with UC Berkeley Haas Center for Growth Markets to foster sustainable rural development in Indian villages. The organization functions as a platform-and-program model rather than a traditional product company. Its core offering is the Open Innovation Platform, which facilitates co-innovation between government, academia, and corporations for rural development. The portfolio includes STEM Innovation Hubs for education, Salesforce Trailblazer Labs for digital skills, Apollo Telehealth Centers and Gramin Healthcare Clinics for healthcare delivery, Vatrak Cardiac & Vascular Hospital for specialty care, air-to-water technology for clean water access, Bharat Rohan drone crop monitoring for agriculture, AI-powered robotic boats (Clearbot) for environmental cleanup, and Tech Eagle drone delivery for medical logistics. These programs span eight verticals: Healthcare, Agriculture, Education, Connectivity, Energy, Livelihood, Water, and Sanitation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Open Innovation Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,087 people screened across 45 villages through PPHM pilot
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Smart Village Movement
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Smart Village Movement technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Smart Village Movement partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- UC Berkeley Haas School of Business - Center of Growth MarketsflagshipSVM was founded at UC Berkeley-Haas Garwood Center for Growth Markets by Solomon Darwin following the 2016 Innovation Round Table. Berkeley Haas provides corporate resources, access to new technologies, mentorship, and research support. They are SVM's primary research partner and help leverage a network of companies and technologies.
- Government of MeghalayacorePrimary state government partner for implementing technology-driven rural development projects. The Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has championed SVM initiatives, and the state provides institutional support for pilot projects.
- Apollo HospitalscorePartner for Apollo Telehealth Centers providing remote healthcare consultations in rural Meghalaya villages through video call technology.
- Tech Eagle InnovationscoreIIT Kanpur alumni-founded drone company providing Hybrid VTOL drones for medicine and vaccine delivery to remote rural health facilities, reducing delivery time significantly.
- Gramin HealthcarecoreHealthcare technology partner operating rural polyclinics in Meghalaya, providing primary healthcare access to underserved communities.
- Curiosity GymcoreSTEM education partner operating Innovation Labs in rural schools, providing hands-on science and technology learning programs for students.
- SalesforcecoreTrailblazer Lab program providing alternative learning centers with technology education and skills training for rural youth in Meghalaya.
- Project DefyminorEducation partner focused on innovative learning approaches in rural schools.
- IBMminorTechnology partner contributing to rural development initiatives through innovation and technology access.
- NASSCOMminorIT industry association partner supporting technology skills and employment initiatives.
- NavgurukulminorEducation partner providing technology and skills training programs for rural youth.
- EfreshminorPartner for agricultural and market access initiatives.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Smart Village Movement competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pratham: One of India's largest education NGOs, focused on rural learning outcomes and vocational training. Direct peer on the Education vertical, particularly given SVM's STEM Innovation Hubs and Salesforce Trailblazer Labs.
- Barefoot College: India-rooted nonprofit training rural villagers (especially women) as solar engineers, educators, and health workers. Comparable to SVM's rural livelihood, education, and energy programs and its bottom-up community empowerment philosophy.
- SELCO Foundation: India-based nonprofit focused on sustainable energy access and livelihoods for underserved rural communities. Comparable to SVM's Energy and Livelihood verticals and its model of partnering with technology providers and governments.
- Naandi Foundation: Large Indian nonprofit operating rural programs across education, healthcare, and livelihoods, often in partnership with state governments. Direct peer to SVM given multi-vertical rural focus and government co-execution model.
- Digital Green: Nonprofit that builds technology-enabled solutions for rural development, particularly agriculture and health in India and East Africa. Highly comparable to SVM in mission, geography, and use of partnerships to scale community-driven innovation.
Broad incumbents
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (India): Global foundation funding rural health, agriculture, and digital inclusion programs in India through large grants to NGOs and government. Broad incumbent given funding scale and overlap on rural health and livelihoods.
- Reliance Foundation: Philanthropic arm of Reliance Group running rural transformation, healthcare, and education initiatives across India. Broad incumbent peer given scale advantages and rural-development mandate.
- Tata Trusts: India's largest philanthropic foundation, funding large-scale rural development, healthcare, and education programs. A broad incumbent peer given overlapping rural mandate and significantly greater capital base.
Others
- Acumen: Global impact investor backing rural and emerging-market enterprises in agriculture, energy, and health. Comparable as a funder/ecosystem player adjacent to SVM's nonprofit+corporate hybrid model.
Emerging players
- Gram Vaani: India-based social enterprise operating community media and voice-based platforms for rural engagement. Comparable to SVM's Open Innovation Platform approach and rural citizen-engagement model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smart Village Movement social profiles
Digital presenceSmart Village Movement financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smart Village Movement leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Smart Village Movement funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smart Village Movement 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 Smart Village Movement
What does Smart Village Movement do?
Smart Village Movement is a non-profit organization that facilitates technology-driven rural development in India through an Open Innovation Platform connecting government, academia, corporates, and rural communities. It operates programs across eight verticals—Healthcare, Agriculture, Education, Connectivity, Energy, Livelihood, Water, and Sanitation—including telehealth centers, rural polyclinics, STEM Innovation Hubs, drone medicine delivery, and a cardiac hospital under development. The organization is funded primarily by donations, grants, and corporate partnerships and pilots scalable solutions in partnership with state governments.
Is Smart Village Movement a public or private company?
Smart Village Movement is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Smart Village Movement founded?
Smart Village Movement was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Smart Village Movement based?
Smart Village Movement is headquartered in Chino, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smart Village Movement make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and government Grants and Collaborations.
Who are Smart Village Movement's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pratham, Barefoot College, SELCO Foundation, Naandi Foundation and Digital Green. Broad incumbents are Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (India), Reliance Foundation and Tata Trusts. Acumen is listed as an others. Gram Vaani is listed as an emerging player.
Does Smart Village Movement have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smart Village Movement.
What industry is Smart Village Movement in?
Smart Village Movement's product category is Rural Development Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAA, Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment, with a secondary code of BPAGALAK, Digital Inclusion & Civic Tech (Connectivity, GovTech for Social Good). Its NAICS code is 81341 and its SIC code is 8300.