Next Bharat Residency Program

The Next Bharat Residency Program is an initiative by Next Bharat Ventures IFSC Private Limited, a Suzuki Initiative dedicated to empowering impact entrepreneurs across India. This program is founded on the belief that India's future economic growth will largely stem from its informal urban (India 2) and rural (India 3) sectors. These regions, home to over a billion people with diverse household incomes, represent a significant and often underserved market.

This 3-month program operates in a hybrid format, featuring three weeks of intensive in-person sessions held in Bengaluru, complemented by ongoing virtual engagement. Selected founders receive equity-based funding of up to ₹5 crore to facilitate their venture's growth, along with a nominal stipend to help cover living expenses during the in-person residency.

Beyond financial capital, participants benefit from access to seasoned mentors who possess deep understanding of the unique operational, market, and regulatory hurdles within rural and informal sectors. A key advantage of the program is its connection to the extensive Suzuki group networks in both India and Japan, offering valuable market access and potential partnership opportunities for portfolio companies. Founders also become part of a growing pan-India community of impact entrepreneurs, fostering peer collaboration, shared learning, and sustained support long after the program concludes. Previous cohorts have included companies in areas such as sustainable agriculture, food processing, artisan crafts, dairy, waste management, and rural livelihoods.

• Equity funding up to ₹5 crore for scaling impact ventures.
• Supports revenue-generating enterprises focused on India's informal urban and rural economies.
• A 3-month hybrid residency program with intensive in-person sessions in Bengaluru.
• Provides access to Suzuki group networks for market access and partnerships.
• Offers experienced mentorship and a nominal living stipend.
• Open to Private Limited Companies and LLPs in sectors like agriculture, food processing, and sustainability.

The Next Bharat Residency Program targets impact-oriented, for-profit enterprises that are focused on improving incomes within India's informal urban (India 2) or rural (India 3) economies.

Applicants must demonstrate that their ventures are already revenue-generating, showing early market traction and a business model capable of scaling. A crucial requirement is that ventures must be actively planning to secure equity funding within the next 3 to 6 months, as the program is designed to prepare founders for this milestone.

Full attendance for the entire program duration is mandatory, and successful completion is a prerequisite for funding eligibility, though it does not guarantee investment. The highest equity holder of the company is required to attend all in-person sessions in Bengaluru; while co-founders may attend as needed, they cannot substitute for the primary founder.

Eligible ventures must clearly demonstrate measurable social impact alongside their commercial viability, with operations directly benefiting low-income or rural communities. Startups from sectors such as agriculture, food processing, rural livelihoods, artisan crafts, waste management, sustainability, and other allied impact sectors are strongly encouraged to apply.

Eligible entity types include Private Limited Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs).

Next Bharat Residency Program accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

Participants in the Next Bharat Residency Program receive equity funding of up to ₹5 crore to scale their ventures. Additionally, a nominal living stipend is provided to cover expenses during the in-person residency period.

Beyond capital, the program offers significant non-financial benefits, including:

• Access to experienced mentorship from experts familiar with the challenges of building businesses in rural and informal sectors.
• Connection to the extensive Suzuki group networks across India and Japan, facilitating valuable market access and partnership opportunities.
• Membership in a growing pan-India community of fellow impact entrepreneurs, enabling peer collaboration, shared learning, and long-term support.

The program itself is a 3-month hybrid experience, combining intensive in-person sessions with ongoing virtual engagement.

Next Bharat Residency Program is offered by Next Bharat Ventures IFSC Private Limited, a venture-capital firm. It is delivered directly by Next Bharat Ventures IFSC Private Limited as a equity. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Before you apply to Next Bharat Residency Program, keep these documents ready — note the program-specific requirements at the top:

• Certificate of incorporation showing your startup is registered as private limited and llp
• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

Next Bharat Residency Program is best suited for revenue-stage agri food rural, edtech social impact and climate energy ev startups in India seeking an equity investment of ₹5Cr. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.