Next Bharat Ventures (NBV), Suzuki Motor Corporation’s ₹340 crore impact fund, convened its annual flagship event, the Next Billion Forum, spotlighting inclusive growth and innovation for India’s rural and informal economy.
The Forum gathered over 200 leaders, including N.R. Narayana Murthy (Founder, Infosys), Amitabh Kant (G20 Sherpa, Government of India), T.V. Mohandas Pai (Chairman, Aarin Capital), Meena Ganesh (Portea Medical, Bahaar Foundation), Nilesh Shah (Kotak Mahindra AMC), Pramod Verma (BECKN Protocol), and Dhimant Parekh (The Better India), alongside senior leadership from Suzuki Motor Corporation. The programme featured a fireside chat with Narayana Murthy and a panel discussion on “Bharat 2047: Enabling Inclusive Growth through Policy, Partnerships, and Platforms”.
A key highlight was the strategic partnership announcement between Atypical Advantage, India’s largest talent platform for persons with disabilities (PwDs) and an NBV portfolio company, and the Uno Minda Group, one of India’s leading automotive component manufacturers. The collaboration will generate new livelihood opportunities for PwDs across Uno Minda’s nationwide operations, setting a precedent for inclusion in the manufacturing sector.
Speaking at the Forum, Vipul Jindal, Managing Director of NBV, said, “At Next Bharat, we empower entrepreneurs creating value for the next billion. This partnership exemplifies our mission of connecting innovators with industry leaders to drive meaningful impact.”
Nirmal Minda, Executive Chairman of Uno Minda Group, emphasised the broader vision: “True progress lies in inclusive growth. Our partnership with Atypical Advantage, supported by NBV, is a step toward equitable opportunities for PwDs and advancing India’s journey toward sustainable, inclusive development.”
Vineet Saraiwala, Founder & CEO of Atypical Advantage, added: “This partnership opens up manufacturing jobs for PwDs, with support from NBV and Maruti Suzuki’s wider supplier ecosystem. Together, we aim to scale disability inclusion across the industry.”
The Forum reinforced NBV’s role as a catalyst for social innovation, blending policy, partnerships, and entrepreneurship to shape Bharat 2047. With the Uno Minda collaboration, NBV has taken a significant step in embedding disability representation into India’s growth narrative.
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