Upaya was founded on the simple realization that a ladder out of extreme poverty is rooted in sustainable jobs. Upaya started as an experiment, investing in four businesses in rural India that created almost 1,000 jobs within three years.

Our mission is to fight extreme poverty from the ground up by building scalable businesses, dignified jobs, and long-term prosperity in the world’s most vulnerable communities.

We identify early-stage businesses with the greatest potential for job creation in the world’s most vulnerable communities. Through our investments and accelerator program, we help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and create jobs that lift families out of extreme poverty.

We invest in companies that are too small for commercial banks, venture capital, and other investors, but too large for microfinance institutions. These companies in the “missing middle” can create more jobs in vulnerable communities.

The companies in our portfolio represent some of the most challenging geographies and industries in India, where most investors won’t dare to go. We invest in under-served areas in order to benefit marginalized populations.

One investment has the potential to change the trajectory of an entire generation. We measure what matters, create cost-effective solutions, and maximize the impact of every dollar.