Google.org has announced $15 million in funding for The/Nudge to support the growth and digital transformation of India’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with a focus on expanding access to credit, compliance tools and market opportunities through artificial intelligence. The announcement was made in New Delhi on October 14.
India is home to more than 90 million small businesses that employ over 345 million people, according to the organisations.
“This is one of the largest philanthropic commitments to India’s MSMEs, and we at the^delta are proud to build it with Google.org to put AI to work for them,” Dutta said. The programme will support innovation through stage-gated grand challenges that address multiple barriers faced by MSMEs, including compliance, market access, quality standards and credit availability, according to Dutta. The funding is part of Google’s broader commitment to support India’s national AI roadmap and comes as MSMEs continue to play a critical role in the country’s economy. Subhashree Dutta, CEO of the^delta, described the initiative as one of the largest philanthropic commitments focused on India’s MSME sector.