The/Nudge Foundation’s new investment platform will provide patient capital of ₹2 crore to ₹16 crore for early-stage ventures working across jobs, agriculture, MSMEs, financial inclusion and climate resilience.
BENGALURU (India CSR): TILT, the new impact-first investment platform of The/Nudge Foundation, has launched a Rs. 250 crore venture fund to back early-stage businesses building scalable solutions for India’s Next Billion. The fund will invest primarily from Seed to Series A stage, with investment sizes ranging from Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 16 crore. It is designed to address a persistent funding gap faced by businesses serving low-income and underserved communities—where building products, distribution networks and sustainable business models can require longer timelines than conventional venture-backed companies.
TILT will focus on science- and technology-led ventures operating across agricultural value chains, climate resilience, informal work and emerging employment models, MSME productivity, employability, financial inclusion, market access, distribution, and technology and AI applications linked to livelihoods. Beyond investments, the platform will support founders through research, market development, partnerships and ecosystem infrastructure. This approach recognises that capital alone may not be sufficient for impact-led ventures to scale responsibly and reach the communities they seek to serve. The fund is backed by the Livelihood Impact Fund and a group of entrepreneurs, investors and philanthropists, including Deep Kalra, Amit Gupta, Hari Menon, Binny Bansal, Raj & Indra Nooyi Family Office, and Vidit Aatrey.
Patient Capital for Impact-Led Ventures
Businesses that work with low-income communities often face distinct operational realities. They may need more time to establish product-market fit, build last-mile distribution, earn customer trust and create resilient unit economics. Conventional venture capital, however, typically enters once early risks are reduced and growth visibility is stronger. TILT seeks to bridge this gap by providing patient, impact-first capital during the formative stages of a company’s journey, while retaining financial discipline and a focus on sustainable value creation.
Richa Singh, Co-founder and Managing Partner, TILT, said, “At TILT, we believe markets move where capital points, and we want to reimagine how impact investing can work in India by directing capital towards opportunities that can create lasting value. India’s Next Billion is increasingly ready for scalable market solutions, and our focus is on backing founders early, giving them the time to build resilient models and aligning capital more closely with the realities of the markets and communities they serve.”
The platform’s investment thesis is based on the view that enterprise-led solutions can play a significant role in improving livelihoods, productivity and access for millions of people—provided founders receive capital suited to the pace and complexity of these markets.
TILT aims to back more than 150 startups over the next 15 years and contribute to meaningfully improving 100 million lives/
Target: Improve 100 Million Lives Over 15 Years
TILT aims to back more than 150 startups over the next 15 years and contribute to meaningfully improving 100 million lives, according to Atul Satija, Founder and Managing Partner, TILT. “For the past eight years, The/Nudge has worked alongside hundreds of entrepreneurs building solutions across livelihoods and some of India’s most complex challenges. TILT takes that work forward through a dedicated pool of patient, impact-first capital,” Satija said. “We hope to show what becomes possible when capital is designed around the realities of impact-led businesses,” he added.
Building on The/Nudge’s Entrepreneur Support Record
TILT builds on The/Nudge Foundation’s eight-year experience in supporting social entrepreneurs focused on livelihoods and development challenges. During this period, The/Nudge has supported more than 190 social enterprises and deployed around Rs. 180 crore in grants. The supported ecosystem has also produced 23 Forbes 30 Under 30 founders, three Earthshot Prize winners and 18 Acumen Fellows.
As several of these enterprises progressed beyond the early validation stage, the need for patient investment capital became increasingly clear. While philanthropic grants can support innovation and proof of concept, many ventures require risk-tolerant capital and strategic support to build durable businesses and expand their reach. TILT will bring together this founder pipeline, operating knowledge and ecosystem relationships into a dedicated investment platform. Its model combines capital with strategic guidance and access to markets, institutions and partnerships—elements that can be critical for ventures creating solutions in complex livelihood and inclusion markets.
The TILT
TILT is The/Nudge Foundation’s impact-first investment platform. The platform addresses the limited availability of patient, impact-first capital for ventures serving India’s Next Billion during their formative stages. Built on The/Nudge Foundation’s seven years of experience supporting more than 200 livelihoods-focused enterprises. TILT will combine investment capital, grant support and strategic access to help founders establish product-market fit, build resilient business models and prepare for sustainable scale. It backs early-stage businesses serving India’s Next Billion through patient capital, strategic support and access to markets and institutions. The platform invests mainly from Seed to Series A stage in science- and technology-led businesses across jobs, agriculture, MSMEs, financial inclusion, market access, climate resilience and related livelihood-focused sectors.
Key Fund Facts
| Parameter | Details |
| Venture fund | INR 250 Cr |
| Investment stage | Seed to Series A |
| Indicative cheque size | INR 2 cr to / INR 16 cr |
| Geographic focus | India |
| Target enterprises | Early-stage, impact-led businesses serving the Next Billion |
| Long-term ambition | Back 150+ startups over 15 years |
| Impact ambition | Meaningfully improve 100 million lives |
What TILT Will Invest In
TILT will back science, technology- and market-led businesses that can strengthen livelihoods and widen participation in markets.
Its areas of interest include:
- Agricultural value chains
- Informal work and emerging employment models
- MSME productivity
- Employability and workforce readiness
- Financial inclusion
- Market access and distribution
- Technology and AI applied to livelihood challenges
- Other labour-intensive sectors with the potential to create resilient livelihoods
The platform is designed for ventures that have meaningful impact potential but require more time and support than conventional venture-capital models may provide.
Support Beyond Capital
TILT will provide portfolio founders with:
- Early-stage funding: Patient capital during the stages when businesses are establishing their models and most investors remain hesitant.
- Expert mentorship: Hands-on guidance from entrepreneurs, operators, investors and domain specialists.
- Market access: Connections to distribution channels, corporations and potential customers.
- Institutional partnerships: Access to government, industry and other organisations that can support adoption and scale.
- Ecosystem support: Flexible funding for enabling conditions that equity capital alone may not address.
Built on The/Nudge’s Track Record
Over the past seven years, The/Nudge has:
| Track record | Detail |
| Enterprises supported | 190+ livelihoods-focused enterprises |
| Capital deployed | INR 180 Cr in grants |
| Applications screened | 20,000+ through pan-India sourcing |
| Non-profit portfolio fundraising | ~US$100 million annually serving 130 mil people |
| Forbes recognition | 21 Forbes 30 Under 30 founders |
| Earthshot recognition | Three Earthshot Prize winners |
| TIME recognition | One TIME cover story and TIME100 AI recognition |
| Founder fellowships | 18+ Acumen Fellows |
The portfolio spans agritech, climate, education, inclusion, gig work, health, skilling and productivity. It includes ventures such as S4S Technologies, Karya, Mitti Café, Rocket Learning, Takachar, Boomitra, Adalat AI, EF Polymer and BioPrime among others.
Leadership Team and Investors
- Atul Satija — Founder and Managing Partner, TILT , Investment Committee Member
- Richa Singh — Co-founder and Managing Partner, TILT , Investment Committee Member
- Ankur Sanghai — Managing Director, Investments, TILT
- Sreevidhya Prasanth — Chief Compliance Officer, TILT
- Deep Kalra — Investment Committee Member
- Amit Gupta — Investment Committee Member
- Binny Bansal — Advisor to the Fund
- Livelihood Impact Fund – Investor
- Raj & Indra Nooyi Family Office – Investor
- Vidit Aatrey – Investor
- Hari Menon – Investor
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TILT a philanthropic programme or a venture-capital fund?
TILT is an investment platform launching its first INR 250 Cr venture fund. The fund will make commercial investments with a goal of preserving the capital and maximizing impact, while also supporting enabling conditions that equity capital may not be suited to address.
How will TILT measure success?
TILT will assess success through both commercial and impact outcomes. Its long-term north star is to back more than 150 startups over 15 years and meaningfully improve the lives of 100 million Indians.
Are TILT and The/Nudge the same organisation?
No. TILT is a distinct impact-first investment platform created by The/Nudge Foundation. It builds on the foundation The/Nudge Foundation has established over eight years through its incubator, accelerator and grand-challenge programmes, which have supported more than 200 livelihoods-focused enterprises.
TILT takes this work forward through a dedicated investment vehicle, through INR 250 Cr venture fund. While The/Nudge Foundation will continue its broader work across livelihoods and social entrepreneurship, TILT has been created specifically to provide patient, impact-first capital and strategic support to high-potential ventures as they move from early validation towards sustainable scale.
© Copyright Disclaimer: All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced, republished, distributed or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from India CSR®.
