Varsha Venugopal

So in addition to this training and the network of mentors and advisors, one additional thing which I know is quite promising and useful for a lot of people considering this option is they provide seed grants for up to $100,000.

And I think in our program, there was some clear amount that was dedicated to all the charities that were founded.

Moving on, I think the last couple of years, it has moved to an online version, which I think they may be continuing.

But also the amount may not be available for all entrepreneurs.

I think there is some degree of.

competition, maybe at the end where they have to send in their proposals based on which certain ones are selected.

But broadly, they do have a pot of funding that does go out to the most promising charities.

Possibly.

I think the way I would see it is, you're right, there is an element of legitimizing the process.

I think they also kind of carry you through the whole process, which you otherwise wouldn't take on.

So I think two of the key bottlenecks that they are, I think, responding to, one is making

There are a lot of outstanding intervention ideas that aren't being implemented.

And the other is founders starting out without a support network and creating avenues to respond to both of that allows, I think, a lot of potential entrepreneurs to take that first risky step.

I think also very soon they plan to have a quiz on their website, which allows you to then make a call on whether this is a good fit for you before you apply.

But broadly, anybody who is interested, I would say just go and apply and just going through the process may help you come closer to the decision.

I think the other bit that I have observed is that even after going through the process, there may be different pathways.

One could take, I have seen people start charities as a part-time founder.

Somebody has started a foundation to find other impactful charities.

I know people who have gone through the program who have then been absorbed by other impactful charities that they've gone on to be employed by other organizations.

So