The journey of two of the Seed for Change 2020 winner projects, Growthosphere and Sahayak, exemplifies how seed funding can act as a springboard for bold ideas with the potential to create lasting impact, and the diverse pathways through which meaningful change can be fostered. Growthosphere, born from a vision to empower marginalized youth through entrepreneurial mentorship, has grown into a thriving initiative that bridges skill gaps and cultivates innovation. Meanwhile, Sahayak’s endeavor to address labor migration through rural skill development has provided key insights into the structural challenges of fostering systemic change.
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In the ever-changing world of social innovation, some stories shine as testaments to resilience, vision, and the quest for lasting impact. Today, we explore the intertwining journeys of two initiatives—Growthosphere and Sahayak—both recipients of the Seed for Change Grant. Their paths diverged in outcomes but converged in lessons, offering profound insights into the challenges and triumphs of social entrepreneurship.
A Shared Dream: Empowerment and Opportunity
At its core, both Growthosphere and Sahayak were born from a shared vision: empowering underserved communities and creating sustainable systems of growth.
Growthosphere, conceptualized at the Harvard Innovation Lab, set out to redefine how young people learn. Its unique ecosystem connects youth with global leaders and entrepreneurs, offering them real-world problem-solving opportunities. The passion of founder Malini Srikrishna, who received a master’s degree in theological studies in 2021 from Harvard Divinity School, for nurturing 21st-century skills has always been clear: empowering youth from marginalized groups to pursue their passions as professions, without tokenizing their stories.
Meanwhile, Sahayak, rooted in India’s rural challenges, aimed to bridge the gap between unskilled labor and local employment opportunities. Co-founders Ambika Malhotra and Aeshna Prasad, who received a Master of Architecture in Urban Design degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2020 and 2021, respectively, envisioned a platform where technology and data analytics would reduce migration pressures on megacities, creating self-sustaining ecosystems in rural India. “As urban designers, we have constantly looped back to the question, ‘How can we reduce migration pressures from megacities in India and foster self-sustaining ecosystems?’,” Aeshna reflected.
Seed for Change winner Growthosphere, formerly known as ‘Communitize,’ evolved from a skill development platform into a global brand, building partnerships with social entrepreneurs and developing tools such as a virtual progress-tracking system.
Seed for Change winner Sahayak aimed to bridge the gap between unskilled labor and local employment opportunities.
Milestones and Momentum
The Seed for Change grant in 2020 marked the beginning of steady progress for Growthosphere, formerly known as ‘Communitize’. The initiative evolved from a skill development platform into a global brand, building partnerships with social entrepreneurs and developing tools such as a virtual progress-tracking system. Over 500 underserved youth in South Asia were guided into colleges and vocational programs, while over 100 entrepreneurs benefitted from Growthosphere’s consulting programs.
The Sahayak team used the seed grant to conduct grassroots-level research in Odisha, uncovering critical insights that reshaped their pilot strategy. By identifying mismatches between local skill development centers and industry demands, Sahayak laid the groundwork for a system that could transform rural employment dynamics.
Navigating Challenges: A Tale of Two Journeys
Both projects encountered roadblocks, though their approaches to overcoming them were as distinct as their visions.
Growthosphere realigned its strategy to focus on providing personalized mentorship rather than scaling too quickly. Malini credits this strategy for the initiative’s sustained impact: “Scale was never a priority; rather it was always ensuring quality experience delivery to each participant. This enabled us to build partnerships with the right people, automatically opening up more pathways to our users.”
For Sahayak, the challenges were more structural. Coordinating between local governments, industries, and skilling agencies required navigating conflicting interests. The pandemic further complicated on-ground efforts, and the team’s limited experience with governance mechanisms led to the difficult decision to pause the project. “Even if it’s a social entrepreneurship venture, we realize that clarity among the beneficiary, supporter, and financier should be established from the outset so you understand each stakeholder’s role, what they need to be involved in, and also how the venture will be self-sustaining and support you as co-founders after a certain period of time elapses,” Ambika and Aeshna shared.
“Even if it’s a social entrepreneurship venture, we realize that clarity among the beneficiary, supporter, and financier should be established from the outset so you understand each stakeholder’s role.” – Co-founders Ambika and Aeshna about their project ‘Sahayak’
Lessons in Innovation and Resilience
While Growthosphere thrived, Sahayak’s journey, too, offered lessons that remain deeply valuable. Both initiatives emphasized the importance of adaptability.
Growthosphere‘s latest initiative, a Web 3.0 Accelerator program, is paving the way for youth to explore cutting-edge fields, from blockchain to decentralized systems. This foray into Web 3.0 and the pivot to consulting accelerated its growth.
Sahayak’s decision to pause reflected a commitment to integrity, recognizing that meaningful impact required a different approach. “Much like design, innovation is an emergent process,” Aeshna noted. “We allowed Sahayak to evolve based on data, but in hindsight, treating it as an e-governance strategy might have aligned better with our resources.” However, for Sahayak, the pause is not an end but a moment of reflection. Ambika and Aeshna carry forward the lessons of collaboration and stakeholder engagement into their current roles, shaping urban projects and governance strategies with a renewed perspective.
Seeds of Change: A Collective Impact
The stories of Growthosphere and Sahayak remind us that innovation is rarely a straight path. Growthosphere’s success demonstrates the power of sustained focus, while Sahayak’s journey underscores the value of humility and learning. Together, they highlight the transformative potential of bold ideas backed by a commitment to social change.
As we celebrate these journeys, we’re reminded that every effort, whether it blooms or takes root for the future, contributes to the larger ecosystem of impact. Sometimes, the most profound lessons lie not in the outcomes but in the process itself.
Written by Angarika Datta, Communications Manager at the Mittal Institute India office.