Background and Rationale for setting up and independent Incubation Centre:

‘Entrepreneurship development through practice’ has been the guiding principle of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to promote Social Entrepreneurship in India. As a result Incubation Center was set up at the Center for Social Entrepreneurship, the first of its kind in India in an academic institution, to support social start-up enterprises to create impactful and sustainable solutions of social at appropriate scale. Spread across the Country, the social enterprises during the incubation period receive guidance to establish efficient model, implement appropriate technologies and seek funding support from donors, philanthropists and impact investors from the network partners of the Incubation Centre. Several incubated enterprises have successfully scaled-up to create wide economic, social and environmental impact. The Incubation Centre has also developed outreach programme to create livelihood, rural employment, and social and environmental value in association with technology innovation in the areas of affordable healthcare, nutrition, waste management and agriculture in partnership with established partners.

While directly supporting 53 social enterprises the Centre has not only achieved unique position but has also developed capability to become financially independent and sustainable. Considering the need to create higher levels of impact and the needed scale, time is appropriate for the Incubation Centre to become an independent in line with other established institutions like IITs.

Incubation Centre in partnership:

With the rationale above Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and The Bombay Mothers & Children Welfare Society (BMCWS) have agreed to come together to set up an independent Incubation Centre to support potential rural and/or social entrepreneurs which would have substantial impact while solving social and/or environmental problems.

TISS is a Deemed to be University set up under the UGC Act, 1956 of Government of India has more than 80 years in teaching, research and outreach engagement in the areas of rural and community development and social change through entrepreneurial actions. With ranking among the Deemed Universities TISS plays critical role in policy design, advocacy and action in various aspects of social welfare and rural development. The Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (CSE) operates under the School of Management and Labour Studies which not only offers unique Masters Programme on Social Entrepreneurship but also offers services in social venture creation for bringing social change with the help of Incubation Centre established in 2012. With extensive involvement in sectors like entrepreneurship, skill development, agriculture, education, rural enterprise creation the Incubation Centre has a vision to “Build a pool of social change leadership through budding and committed entrepreneurs who would endeavour to create economic, social & environmental value through innovative ventures, and in process inspire many more to follow same path.”

BMCWS is a 100 years old Public Charitable Trust and itself a sustainable social enterprise. It reaches out to those who require assistance in matter of health and education, vocational training in urban as well as rural areas. It has set up a) Low Cost Hospitals (Urban & Rural), b) Child Care Facilities (Modern Crèches in Mumbai) c) Education (providing e-learning system support), d) Cancer Patient Convalescent Home (to support poor and needy families coming to Mumbai for cancer treatment), and e) Sustainable Rural Development programme (computer education, livelihood and clean energy solutions in villages). These services are provided at Mumbai and Rajgurunagar (District Pune).

Objectives and Structure of the joint Incubation Center:

TISS and BMCWS have synergies in social welfare and entrepreneurship which can be used to create larger social impact by empowering the women, youth and rural population from the region of Rajgurunagar and also those who desire to design solutions to benefit poor and marginalized people from across the country. While the proposed Center would provide education, training and mentoring it would also act as conduit to implement several sponsored programmes to widen reach and impact.