SBI Youth for India Conclave 2026 Spotlights Grassroots Innovation; ₹69 Lakh Awarded to 6 Social Ventures
- ByStartupStory | April 16, 2026
The SBI Foundation successfully hosted the SBI Youth for India Conclave 2026 in Kochi, Kerala, bringing together social entrepreneurs, development practitioners, academicians, and Fellows from across India. The annual gathering served as a collaborative platform to exchange ideas, showcase grassroots innovations, and explore scalable solutions for rural transformation.
A major highlight of the conclave was the SBI YFI Sahyog – Pitch Fest 2026, where ten shortlisted social ventures presented their ideas to an expert jury. The panel included leaders from SBI Foundation along with ecosystem experts such as Anupam Joshi and Dr. Gayathri Swahar from The/Nudge Institute.
₹69 Lakh in Funding to Drive Social Impact
Six winning ventures were awarded a total seed funding of ₹69,00,000, along with strategic mentorship to help scale their impact-driven solutions. The selected ventures include:
Shashank Singh – GRAM Association (₹15,00,000)
Nitesh Bhardwaj – Ulgulan for Social Change Foundation (₹15,00,000)
Priya Krishna Madig – Griham (₹14,00,000)
Paoni Patidar – Pratibha Veethi (₹11,00,000)
Khushboo – AdiRa Biocycle Pvt. Ltd. (₹8,00,000)
Laukesh Jaiswal – Yaha Choice Enterprise (₹6,00,000)
Over the years, SBI Foundation has supported 30 youth-led social ventures with cumulative funding exceeding ₹1.06 crore, helping build sustainable enterprises rooted in community needs.
Leadership Perspective
Speaking at the event, Swapan Dhar highlighted the importance of enabling grassroots innovation:
“SBI YFI Sahyog – the Pitch Fest reflects our continued commitment to nurturing grassroots innovation by enabling promising social ventures to scale with the right support.”
Similarly, Jagannath Sahoo emphasized the long-term vision of the initiative:
“Through Sahyog, we aim to strengthen the ecosystem by enabling access to mentorship, resources, and visibility, empowering changemakers to translate ideas into long-term outcomes.”
15 Years of Youth for India Fellowship
The conclave also marked 15 years of the SBI Youth for India Fellowship, a flagship program launched in 2011. Over the years, the fellowship has built a strong network of changemakers working across rural India, many of whom have gone on to lead social enterprises and influence policy at scale.
Designed as a 13-month immersive program, the fellowship connects young professionals with grassroots communities through partnerships with 15 NGOs, enabling meaningful on-ground interventions.
Applications Open for 2026–27 Batch
Applications for the 14th batch (2026–27) of the SBI Youth for India Fellowship are currently open and will close on April 30, 2026. The program is open to graduates and young professionals aged 21–32 years, including Indian citizens, NRIs, OCI holders, and citizens of Bhutan and Nepal.
The SBI Youth for India Conclave 2026 reaffirmed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in addressing rural challenges. By combining funding, mentorship, and ecosystem support, initiatives like Sahyog continue to empower a new generation of social entrepreneurs driving meaningful change at the grassroots level.
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