What SGBS Unnati Foundation does

SGBS Unnati Foundation is a Bangalore-headquartered not-for-profit organization incorporated in 2011 under Section 8 of the Companies Act, focused on vocational training and employability programs for underprivileged youth in India. It operates three core programs: the UNNATI Program, a 300-hour vocational training course with guaranteed corporate placement for unemployed youth aged 18-25; the UNXT Program, a 200-hour employability and life-skills curriculum delivered at 4,000+ government colleges across 14 states; and the SUGAM Program, a rural women entrepreneurship accelerator run in partnership with the National Rural Livelihood Mission. The organization runs a network of 50+ physical training centers across 8 states (Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Gujarat) and supports beneficiaries through a proprietary e-learning platform with ~600 employability-training videos, psychometric assessment tools, an Udhyogam job portal, and the Unnati X alumni community platform.

The business model is multi-stream: training is delivered free to beneficiaries and funded primarily through corporate CSR grants and individual donations, with explicit unit pricing of Rs 12,000 per full-sponsored youth and Rs 6,000 for partial sponsorship; placement services generate Rs 3,000+GST per hire after 90 days of employment; and the foundation has raised capital through three successive Social Stock Exchange listings (Dec 2023, Mar 2025, Mar 2026), becoming the first NGO to list on India's SSE. Corporate CSR partners include MUFG, BOEING, TATA POWER, OMEGA Healthcare, Infosys Foundation, and Kiswarna Charitable Trust, while operational delivery in Maharashtra is supported by the Raah Foundation.

Cumulative outcomes disclosed include 85,000+ youth trained and 60,000+ placed under the UNNATI Program, 2 lakh+ trained under UNXT, and 300,000+ across both programs combined, with a stated 2030 mission to empower 1 million underprivileged youth. The foundation holds an 80G tax-deduction certificate, Guide Star India certification, NSDC partnership recognition, and underwent a PwC CSR assessment in May 2026.

Name

SGBS Unnati Foundation

Legal name

SGBS Unnati Foundation

Website

https://unnatiblr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SGBS Unnati Foundation is a Bangalore-based not-for-profit that delivers vocational training and employability programs to underprivileged youth across India, operating 50+ training centers in 8 states through CSR-funded partnerships, and the first NGO listed on India's Social Stock Exchange.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training & Youth Development (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Services (Non-Banking) (EDABALAK)

Keywords

• Vocational training programs
• Youth skills development
• Nonprofit education foundation
• Job placement services
• CSR training initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices26 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CSR Grants and Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate entities sponsor the UNXT program and individual youth training as part of their CSR obligations. The program cost is covered through these sponsorships and donations.
2. Placement Services: Placement charges of Rs. 3,000 + GST per candidate payable after 90 days of employment for companies hiring through vocational centre
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Individual and corporate donations for youth sponsorship (Rs. 12,000 full, Rs. 6,000 partial), corpus fund contributions, and meal program sponsorships
4. Social Stock Exchange Listings: Fundraising through India's Social Stock Exchange (NSE) - listed as first NGO on SSE in December 2023, with subsequent listings in March 2025 and March 2026

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SGBS Unnati Foundation is a Section 8 non-profit organization that delivers free vocational skills training to underprivileged youth in India through programs branded UNNATI, UNXT, and SUGAM, while connecting trainees to employment via its job portal Udhyogam and its alumni network Unnati X. The foundation operates 50+ vocational centers across 8 states and has upskilled more than 300,000 youth, supplementing individual training with corporate hiring partnerships and CSR-driven funding.

Product overview

SGBS Unnati Foundation operates a portfolio of interconnected vocational training and youth empowerment programs. The core offerings include the UNNATI Program (300-hour vocational training with guaranteed placement), the UNXT Program (200-hour employability training for college students), and the SUGAM Program (rural women entrepreneurship accelerator). These programs are supported by the Udhyogam job portal for employer connections and the Vocational Centre network across India. The organization also offers Unnati X as an alumni engagement platform and the Internship-to-Placement (I2P) Program for market research experience. All programs share a unified mission of empowering underprivileged youth with life skills and employment opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNXT: 200-hour employability and social transformation program for final-year government college students, focusing on English communication, life skills, values, and job readiness.
• SUGAM
• Udhyogam
• Unnati X

Products and services

• UNNATI vocational training program Foundation program delivering free vocational skills training to underprivileged Indian youth to improve employability.
• UNXT advanced training program Advanced/skills-extension track of the foundation's vocational training offerings for youth who have completed foundational training.
• SUGAM program Supplementary program of the foundation that supports beneficiary outcomes beyond core vocational training.
• Udhyogam job portal Online job portal that connects Unnati-trained candidates with corporate employers for entry-level and skilled roles.
• Unnati X alumni platform Online alumni network platform that engages former trainees post-graduation, supporting continued career development and community among Unnati alumni.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85,000+ youth trained and 60,000+ placed in corporate jobs with social security
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Certificate of Partnership with NSDC for skill development initiatives. NSDC partnership validates Unnati's training programs and provides institutional credibility for skill certification. Partnership renewed for 2026-2027 and previously for 2024-2025.
• SGBS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal parent organization that conceived and ran the UNNATI program. UNNATI was conceived and run by SGBS Trust in Bangalore before incorporation under SGBS Unnati Foundation in 2011. The trust continues to receive donations and support the foundation's mission.
• Raah FoundationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOperational partner managing multiple Maharashtra centres including Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Kalyan, Kolhapur, Latur, Nerul, Pen Raigad, and Pune. Raah Foundation handles day-to-day centre operations, staff management, and program delivery.
• Arpan FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS-based registered organization enabling tax-deductible donations for US donors. Unnati has a tie-up with Arpan Foundation for donors from USA to avail 501(C) tax exemptions while supporting Unnati programs.
• National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment mission supporting the SUGAM program for rural women entrepreneurship. NRLM helps identify and mobilize rural women for the grassroots entrepreneurship accelerator program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Aide et Action India: International education-focused NGO operating in India with programs on early childhood education, vocational training, and youth employability. Comparable NGO structure, multi-state operations, and youth livelihood focus.
• CAP Foundation (L&T Public Charitable Trust): Nonprofit arm of Larsen & Toubro running vocational training and livelihood programs for underprivileged youth across India. Comparable corporate-linked, multi-state vocational training and placement model.
• Don Bosco Tech Society: India's largest network of NGO-run vocational training centres offering industry-aligned skill courses with placement support for underprivileged youth. Directly comparable delivery model (multi-centre residential/non-residential vocational training with corporate placements).
• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest education-focused NGOs, running large-scale youth and adult literacy, vocational, and employability programs across multiple states. Directly comparable to Unnati as a mission-aligned, high-scale nonprofit working on youth education and livelihoods.
• Quest Alliance: India-based nonprofit focused on employability and 21st-century skills for underprivileged youth, including college students, with strong partnerships with corporates and government. Closely comparable to Unnati's UNXT-style college employability program and overall youth-skilling mission.
• IL&FS Skills Development Corporation: Large-scale skill development organization running vocational training centres across India with employer placement focus. Operates in the same industry-specific vocational training space as Unnati with similar CSR-funded model.
• Magic Bus India Foundation: Youth-focused nonprofit combining life skills, sports-based learning, and livelihood training with strong employer linkages for underprivileged adolescents and young adults. Highly comparable mission and beneficiary profile to Unnati's UNNATI program.

Others

• National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM): Government of India's flagship rural livelihoods program — already a strategic partner of Unnati for the SUGAM program. Related as the public-sector ecosystem and referral channel for rural women entrepreneurship interventions similar to SUGAM.

Broad incumbents

• Tata STRIVE: Tata Group's skill development initiative operating vocational training centres across India, often funded through Tata company CSR. Comparable target beneficiaries and vocational training portfolio, but anchored to a single corporate ecosystem.
• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): Government of India–backed umbrella body that funds and certifies skill development initiatives — Unnati already holds NSDC partnership certification. Operates in the same space at massive scale but as a regulator/funding body rather than direct training provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UNNATIindiaNGO
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnnatiSkillCentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sgbs-unnati-foundation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SGBS Unnati Foundation