HDFC Bank today announced the winners of its 5th annual SmartUp Parivartan Grants 2022. HDFC Bank awarded grants to 85 innovative start-ups focused on addressing problems facing environment, healthcare sectors and gender diversity.
These grants are aimed to nurture start-ups offering unique solutions to bring about sustainable change in society and the environment. These grants have been offered under the aegis of #Parivartan, the flagship CSR program for the bank’s social initiatives.
“The Parivartan SmartUp grants are part of the Bank’s commitment to strengthen our relationship with the start-up ecosystem in India. Through the SmartUp programme , we are nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of the start-up community to create jobs, opportunities and impact for the society and environment. We equip entrepreneurs with smart financial tools, advisory services and technology to help them realise their vision and create value for the society. We are aware of start-ups working on innovative solutions to bring a sustainable change in the society. These grants are our admiration and support for start-ups working to make our society resilient,” said Ms Smita Bhagat, Group Head, Government and Institutional Business, BC & Partnership Banking, Ecosystem Banking, Inclusive Banking Group, and Start-ups, HDFC Bank.
“This is our fifth year of continuously supporting start-ups. We are happy to be part of this incredible journey in helping entrepreneurs looking to bring about positive social change. #Parivartan, our flagship CSR programme, also stands for being a catalyst for the good of the society. Start-ups working to enhance livelihoods, skilling and working with the challenged sections of the society; bringing inclusive change are in sync with our objective to give back to the society we live in,” said Ms Ashima Bhat, Group Head – Business Finance and Strategy, CSR and ESG, Administration and Infrastructure, HDFC Bank.
To shortlist and mentor the winners, the bank partnered with 28 incubators, including IIM-B, ISB, AIC Ncore Developmental Impact Foundation , KIIT-Technology Business, Amrita Technology Business Incubator, International Institute of Information Technology, and Social Entrepreneurs Foundation India, among others. These incubators, along with the bank, selected 85 start-ups from a pool of over 150 applicants from across the country working in varied sectors through a rigorous screening process.