SETHU

What SETHU does

Sethu is a Goa-based non-profit trust (legally 'Sethu Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance') founded in 2005 by developmental paediatrician Dr Nandita de Souza that delivers interdisciplinary clinical, therapeutic and educational services to children aged 0-19 with developmental disabilities - including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, learning disorders and intellectual disability - alongside support for their families. Its core service portfolio spans developmental assessments, the AATISH autism intervention programme (incorporating Social ABCs, the only such offering by a non-profit in India), occupational therapy (including Aqua Therapy, unique among Goa non-profits), speech and language therapy with AAC tools such as AVAZ, special education, counselling and psychotherapy using narrative therapy, and positive behaviour support. The intervention methodology is anchored in the proprietary 'Sethu Trifecta Model' combining neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based and family-centred pillars, grounded in the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework.

The organisation operates as a community-based provider serving primarily families in Goa, India, reaching them through referral pipelines from schools, doctors, community groups and government agencies, supplemented by advocacy across radio, television, press and digital media. It has scaled from 3 staff at founding to 30 professionals supported by 5 trustees, registered over 10,000 families cumulatively, and now adds 1,500+ new registrations annually. Adjacent products extend beyond direct therapy: the IAP Fellowship trains future developmental paediatricians, Gnyandeep trains anganwadi workers to identify neurodevelopmental delays, Agle Kadam orients newly diagnosed families, and webinars/workshops reach teachers, students and other professionals.

The revenue model is donation-dependent. Income streams comprise individual and corporate donations, child sponsorship through the 'Cheer for Children' programme, CSR funding from a roster that includes Azim Premji Foundation and Cipla Foundation as anchor partners, 'The Sethu Corpus' endowment for operational continuity, and heavily subsidised client fees. Sethu is registered under Section 12A and 80G(5) of the Indian Income Tax Act and under FCRA-2010, enabling both domestic tax-advantaged and foreign donations. A capital campaign is in progress to fund a purpose-built inclusive centre in Guirim, with a Rs 10 crore target of which Rs 6 crore had been raised by 2024, and the facility is expected to open by end of 2025.

Name

SETHU

Legal name

Sethu Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance

Website

https://sethu.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sethu is a Goa-based non-profit trust providing interdisciplinary developmental and behavioural health services to children aged 0-19 with disabilities such as autism, ADHD, and cerebral palsy, plus family support, funded primarily through donations and CSR grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Development and Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs Early Intervention & Preschool Programs (EDAKAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Early Intervention (Educational) (EDAKAKAB), Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ), Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language) (EDAKAKAG), Developmental Therapy / Early Childhood Special Instruction (EDACAFAG)

Keywords

• Child development services
• Autism intervention therapy
• Developmental paediatrics care
• Occupational speech therapy
• Neurodiversity family support

Headquarters

HQ city

Saligao

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Sethu is a non-profit organization that relies heavily on donations from individuals and organizations. They have a 'Cheer for Children' child sponsorship programme and 'The Sethu Corpus' fund for operational continuity. Services are heavily subsidised through sponsorships.
2. Client Fees (Subsidised): Sethu charges heavily subsidised fees for their services. Many families cannot pay the subsidised fees, creating a funding gap that donations help fill.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with companies for CSR funding and donations. Sethu is registered under Section 12A of Income Tax Act, approved under Section 80G(5), and registered under FCRA-2010 for foreign donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sethu Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance is a non-profit trust that delivers interdisciplinary therapeutic, educational and support services for children (birth to 19 years) with developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Learning Disorders and Intellectual Disability, alongside their families, in Goa, India. Core offerings include developmental assessments, the AATISH autism intervention programme with Social ABCs, occupational therapy (including Aqua Therapy), speech and language therapy with AAC, special education, counselling and psychotherapy, positive behaviour support, family therapy, training and outreach, advocacy, research and the IAP Fellowship programme.

Product overview

Sethu is a centre for child development and family guidance offering a comprehensive suite of interdisciplinary services for children with developmental and behavioural needs. The core offering is the Sethu Centre itself, providing assessments and interventions including AATISH (autism intervention programme), Occupational Therapy (including aqua therapy), Speech and Language Therapy (with AAC support), Special Education, Counselling and Psychotherapy (using narrative therapy), and Positive Behaviour Support. Supporting services include Training and Outreach (webinars, workshops, Agle Kadam, Gnyandeep), Research, Advocacy, Resources (handouts), and the IAP Fellowship training programme. The integrated approach is anchored in neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based, and family-centred care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Developmental Assessments

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ registrations since founding
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature8 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Sense International India: Ahmedabad-based non-profit supporting people with deafblindness and multi-sensory impairments through education, therapy, and advocacy. Partially comparable to Sethu's family-centred therapy and inclusion focus, but focused on a narrower sensory-impairment population.

Direct peers

• ADAPT (Able Disable All People Together): Mumbai-based non-profit serving children and adults with disabilities through education, therapy, vocational training, and advocacy. Comparable in mission and breadth of disability services for children, though with a larger geographic footprint.
• Latika Roy Foundation: Dehradun-based non-profit providing early intervention, education, and therapy for children with disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, and Down Syndrome. Directly comparable to Sethu in early intervention and family-centred special education.
• Action for Autism: Delhi-based non-profit focused on autism spectrum disorder, providing assessments, intervention, school inclusion support, and advocacy. Closely comparable to Sethu's autism-intervention focus (AATISH, Social ABCs) and family-centred ethos.
• Tamana: Delhi-based non-profit running special education, vocational, and therapy programs for children and adults with autism, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. Comparable in multi-disability service offering and family/school engagement model.
• Ummeed Child Development Center: Mumbai-based non-profit offering multidisciplinary diagnostic, therapeutic, and family support services for children with developmental disabilities, including autism. Directly comparable to Sethu in service mix (OT, SLP, behaviour support, family counselling) and target population.
• Bubbles Centre for Autism: Pune-based non-profit dedicated to autism screening, early intervention, education, and inclusion training. Directly comparable to Sethu's AATISH programme, Social ABCs, school readiness, and parent training components.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust (Ministry of Social Justice, India): Statutory body under the Government of India for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities. Comparable target population and parallel scheme-based funding pathways that Sethu families could access.
• NIEPMD (National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities): Government of India autonomous institute in Chennai providing rehabilitation, education, training, and research across multiple disabilities. Comparable in mission but operates at much larger scale and as a public-sector institution rather than a community non-profit.

Others

• Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP): National professional body of paediatricians that accredits Sethu's IAP Fellowship in developmental and behavioural paediatrics. Comparable as the certifying/ecosystem partner that validates Sethu's clinical training pipeline and sets the curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sethu.goa.india
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sethu

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 SETHU