This was my fourth trip after Odisha, Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh. In 40 days starting from the 09th of June 2024, I visited four cities – Akola, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Pune.
Milestones – Maharashtra Trip (Phase 1)
- Pro bono mentorship for 12 micro and small businesses
- Career workshops and entrepreneurship development training for 156 students
The primary focus of my Maharashtra visit was to help local small businesses. I had the opportunity to meet with several business owners in Akola, Nagpur, and Aurangabad, as well as representatives from industry associations.
Mentoring new and existing local businesses aligns with our objective of creating jobs for local youth.
A key insight from these interactions and workshops is that businesses in smaller cities are yet to adopt the latest technology and tools essential for growth and competitiveness.
While the world embraces new technologies like generative AI, many micro and small businesses in smaller towns and rural areas lack access to basic productivity and business tools.
There is an urgent need to upskill business owners. We require a skill development program specifically designed for owners of micro and small businesses.
This will be a core focus area for us moving forward. We will share further updates on our plans to address this issue. Please continue to visit our website and share your ideas and feedback.