Villgro has made an equity investment in Windmill Health Technologies and will provide intense mentoring, talent and access to relevant networks, to help the enterprise execute and grow. Read more »

After nearly 25 years of work involving multi-institution, multi-country collaboration, India last week announced its first locally developed anti-diarrhoea vaccine. Effective against a strain of Rotavirus that causes severe diarrhoea among children under five in India, this vaccine is one of the emerging examples which show how the world in general, and India in particular, needs a different model for developing new therapies. The old model – of pharma companies deciding what and when to develop new drugs – is crumbling. Read more »

Besides the goal of providing visitors with a deeper understanding of Dharavi, Reality Tours has also dedicated 80 percent of its profits (about 30 percent of gross revenues) for social projects. Most of these resources are used by Reality Gives, a sister organization that performs social projects focused on the community's youth. These include providing classes in art, English, computing, vocational training, skill development and personal health programs. The last stop of the tour took place at the community center built by Reality Gives, where we observed a classroom of 16-year-olds learning English. Read more »

Growing rural demand is making Godrej Appliances target consumers at the bottom of the pyramid with new products pegged below Rs 3,000. Read more »

Hyderabad-based Caspian Advisors has said it would set up a $40-million fund to provide debt capital to a wide range of institutions serving low-income or financially excluded communities. Read more »

In order to avoid excesses of the kind that derailed the Indian microfinance industry three years ago, nine entities doing 'impact investing' - picking up equity stakes in businesses that are anchored in both financial and social returns - have come together to form a grouping that will define what they can do and cannot do in their investment practices to always stay aligned with their stated objectives. Read more »

The cost of immunising millions of the world’s most vulnerable children against five deadly and debilitating diseases is set to fall, thanks to a major price reduction of one third for pentavalent vaccine. Read more »

Twenty social enterprises have been awarded grants of $100,000 each by the India Development Marketplace funded by the World Bank Group. Read more »

The most sought after social enterprise recognition in India - the Sankalp Social Enterprise Awards - announced winners in five sectors. Read more »

Aspada Will Also Invest in Agricultural Supply Chain Companies in an Effort to Support Small Holder Farmers. Read more »