Meet the Changemakers: Taco Bell Foundation Announces Semi-Finalists for Inaugural Ambition Accelerator in India
06.08.2024 - 11:00:22Meet the Changemakers: Taco Bell Foundation Announces Semi-Finalists for Inaugural Ambition Accelerator in India. This first Ambition Accelerator in India offers young visionaries a chance to win an INR 10 lakhs grant prize to fund their social innovation projects
in India. The Ambition Accelerator program empowers young Changemakers in the U.S. and India, providing a platform for their innovative ideas to drive community change.
The selected 25 semi-finalists will receive seed funding of INR 40,000 to help further their social impact initiatives. Emerging from a competitive pool of over 192 applicants from India, the 25 semi-finalists will be a part of the Taco Bell Foundation and Ashoka’s networking summit in Bangalore on September 17th, 2024. An esteemed panel of judges will select five finalists, of which the winner will take home the grand prize of INR 10 lakhs to fund their initiative. That’s not all! The 4 semi-finalists will also be rewarded with INR 2 lakhs for their revolutionary enterprises.
The semi-finalists put forth innovative community impact solutions to address a diverse range of topics including women’s empowerment, sustainability, food security, equitable education, and mental health, among others. These individuals are young visionaries of India, between the ages of 16 – 26, who are passionate about social impact and tackling critical national and local development matters.
Ambition Accelerator has spotlighted some of the standout innovations such as Thermal Floater, a renewable energy solution that utilizes solar thermal energy to increase efficiency and affordability; Agroforestry: Turning Barren Bihar Green, an initiative in Jamui, Bihar, India, that utilizes agroforestry techniques to enhance sustainability and food security amidst environmental challenges; and Muktaa, a free mental health helpline providing accessible mental health care.
Browse through the 25 semi-finalists list and their social innovation concepts here.
Funded by Yum! Brand’s $100 million Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, Ambition Accelerator is dedicated to creating pathways for a more equitable and inclusive society. Stay tuned to the Ambition Accelerator website for more updates.
The selected 25 semi-finalists will receive seed funding of INR 40,000 to help further their social impact initiatives. Emerging from a competitive pool of over 192 applicants from India, the 25 semi-finalists will be a part of the Taco Bell Foundation and Ashoka’s networking summit in Bangalore on September 17th, 2024. An esteemed panel of judges will select five finalists, of which the winner will take home the grand prize of INR 10 lakhs to fund their initiative. That’s not all! The 4 semi-finalists will also be rewarded with INR 2 lakhs for their revolutionary enterprises.
The semi-finalists put forth innovative community impact solutions to address a diverse range of topics including women’s empowerment, sustainability, food security, equitable education, and mental health, among others. These individuals are young visionaries of India, between the ages of 16 – 26, who are passionate about social impact and tackling critical national and local development matters.
Ambition Accelerator has spotlighted some of the standout innovations such as Thermal Floater, a renewable energy solution that utilizes solar thermal energy to increase efficiency and affordability; Agroforestry: Turning Barren Bihar Green, an initiative in Jamui, Bihar, India, that utilizes agroforestry techniques to enhance sustainability and food security amidst environmental challenges; and Muktaa, a free mental health helpline providing accessible mental health care.
Browse through the 25 semi-finalists list and their social innovation concepts here.
Funded by Yum! Brand’s $100 million Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, Ambition Accelerator is dedicated to creating pathways for a more equitable and inclusive society. Stay tuned to the Ambition Accelerator website for more updates.
About Taco Bell Foundation
Taco Bell Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity that helps break down barriers to educate and inspire the next generation of young leaders. Since 1992, the Taco Bell Foundation has reached more than 5 million young people around the globe and has awarded more than $188 million in grants and scholarships, focused on education and career readiness. For more information about the Taco Bell Foundation, visit www.tacobellfoundation.org.
About Ashoka Innovators for the Public
Ashoka is the largest global network of leading social entrepreneurs—individuals with new ideas to systemically address the world's biggest challenges and the entrepreneurial skill to transform those ideas into national, regional and global social impact. For over 40 years, Ashoka has supported 4,000+ social entrepreneurs in 90 countries with solutions addressing society's most pressing issues. Ashoka's vision is a world in which Everyone is a Changemaker—a society that responds quickly and effectively to challenges, and where every individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem. For more information, visit ashoka.org.
Taco Bell Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity that helps break down barriers to educate and inspire the next generation of young leaders. Since 1992, the Taco Bell Foundation has reached more than 5 million young people around the globe and has awarded more than $188 million in grants and scholarships, focused on education and career readiness. For more information about the Taco Bell Foundation, visit www.tacobellfoundation.org.
About Ashoka Innovators for the Public
Ashoka is the largest global network of leading social entrepreneurs—individuals with new ideas to systemically address the world's biggest challenges and the entrepreneurial skill to transform those ideas into national, regional and global social impact. For over 40 years, Ashoka has supported 4,000+ social entrepreneurs in 90 countries with solutions addressing society's most pressing issues. Ashoka's vision is a world in which Everyone is a Changemaker—a society that responds quickly and effectively to challenges, and where every individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem. For more information, visit ashoka.org.
