Over the past three years, through the PRIME-Sauramandala Rural Entrepreneurship Fellowship (PSREF) , we’ve validated a powerful model: agent-led, doorstep incubation works . We’ve supported hundreds of rural entrepreneurs across Meghalaya’s 12 blocks, and now the government is expanding to all 55 blocks—a testament to impact that speaks for itself.
But scale alone isn’t the goal. We can either replicate the same manual model across 55 blocks, or we can build something bigger—an open, interoperable technology platform that amplifies our agent network, enables data-driven decisions, and becomes a public good that others can build on.
Three Core Learnings from PSREF That Shaped Our Tech Vision
1. Agents at the Center, Not Platforms
The Fellows and local Associates we deploy are the connective tissue between entrepreneurs and opportunity. They identify needs, curate services, and build trust—no algorithm can replace this. Our tech must empower agents, not replace them.
2. Services Are Modular, Not Monolithic
Rural entrepreneurs don’t need one platform. They need access to: business registration help, market linkages, training, mechanization support, funding, compliance guidance. These come from different vendors and partners. Our platform must orchestrate this ecosystem, not own it.
3. Evidence Drives Impact
Every interaction with an entrepreneur generates data—about their needs, challenges, progress, outcomes. This becomes our competitive advantage: understanding what works, at scale, in context. We must build with evaluation and learning baked in.
The Vision: Open Network, Interoperable Tech, Co-Built by an Ecosystem
We’re looking to design a tech platform around our insights from our work in ML:
- Open network architecture: Not owned by one organization, built on interoperable APIs that allow multiple service providers to plug in and interoperate
- Agent-first design: Core CRM and tools that make Fellows and Associates more effective and also be able to earn from this platform by providing services
- Service marketplace: Integrated with banks, government schemes, training organizations, technology vendors, logo design, packaging, advisory, and market linkages—all validated for rural impact
- Real-time data & insights: Dashboards for agents, researchers, policymakers, and partners to understand what’s working
- Replicable design: Deployable across India
Why We’re Calling This Out: We Need Your Expertise
We’ve learned from PSREF that no single organization can solve this alone. We need:
Technology Partners: Architecture expertise for open networks and DPI-style platforms. Experience with APIs, microservices, data interoperability.
Service Integrators: Financial institutions, skill training providers, government scheme facilitators, vendors, design agencies, market linkage platforms—organizations that want to reach rural entrepreneurs at scale through a shared infrastructure.
Research & Validation Partners: Universities, evaluation firms, policy organizations that want to understand rural entrepreneurship dynamics and co-generate evidence.
Implementation Partners: NGOs, government departments, and incubation networks in other states who want to pilot or adopt the model.
Thought Partners: Anyone thinking deeply about DPI, open networks, rural development, or agent-led service delivery—let’s iterate together.
The Ask: Co-Build, Validate, Scale
- Belief in agent-led, hyperlocal doorstep incubation delivery
- Commitment to open, interoperable technology as a public good
- Appetite for evidence and learning as we go
- Willingness to co-invest time, expertise, and resources without predefined power dynamics
If you’re interested in being part of this: Let’s talk. Comment below, DM, or reach out directly at [email protected] . We giving this a shot with some internal resources and also the current Aahar Bazaar challenge that is running but we are open to more conversations.
From a fellowship program to an ecosystem platform. From 12 blocks to 55. From learning to building. From building to scaling together.