Bengaluru: the^delta has launched the aahaar bazaar challenge, a ₹5.25 crore national competition focused on empowering home-based women food entrepreneurs.
Funded by the State Street Foundation, the philanthropic arm of State Street Corporation, this 18-month challenge aims to unlock scalable, tech-enabled solutions to help women-led food businesses grow beyond their local constraints.
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With India’s packaged food market projected to grow from USD 2.8 billion in 2023 to USD 6.4 billion by 2029, the challenge targets a significant gap: most women-led food businesses operate informally, earn under ₹4,000 a month, and sell within a 2-km radius.
the^delta seeks to change that narrative by enhancing business readiness, compliance, packaging, digital presence, and market access.
“The issue isn’t aspiration – it’s access,” said Kanishka Chatterjee, Managing Director of the^delta prize. “Through the aahaar bazaar challenge, we are creating a platform for visibility, revenue, and resilience. We want to help home-based women foodpreneurs become recognized economic contributors.”
Aahaar Bazaar Challenge: Strategic Alignment with National Initiatives
The aahaar bazaar challenge aligns with key government programs including:
- Lakhpati Didi
- PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME)
- Skill India
- Digital India
Together, these aim to boost economic participation and sustainability among women entrepreneurs, particularly in rural and low-income urban areas.
“At State Street Foundation, we believe that targeted access to tools, networks, and capital can redefine the economic future for women entrepreneurs,” said Joan Christel, President of State Street Foundation.
Comprehensive Support Ecosystem and Expert Advisory
In addition to financial incentives, the aahaar bazaar challenge offers participants a robust support ecosystem, including:
- ACT Grants
- Acumen
- IIMA Ventures
- Villgro
- GAME
- Nasscom Foundation
- and more.
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Participants will also benefit from mentorship by Dhiren Kanwar, founder of Zaad Ventures, and strategic guidance from an advisory council featuring:
- Chetna Gala Sinha (Mann Deshi Foundation)
- Gayathri Vasudevan (LabourNet)
- Rituparna Chakraborty (TeamLease)
- Sharad Sharma (iSPIRT Foundation)
Applications Now Open
Solution providers working in food-tech, marketplaces, packaging, logistics, compliance, and MSME services are invited to apply.
The goal is to scale innovative models that help thousands of women foodpreneurs achieve economic inclusion and sustainable income growth.
For more information and to apply, visit: https://thedelta.org.in/prize-page
