Tata Trusts, Shell India launch rural tool for start-ups, investors

Tie-up aims to promote sustainable economic growth; framework reduces lab-to-market journey for start-ups, helps them identify partnerships that will aid in integrated rural development

Tata Trusts and Shell India have launched Stages of Development (SOD) Framework for Rural Collaboration, a data-driven tool that aids start-ups, philanthropists and investors working in the rural development space to make informed decisions, identify relevant solutions and maximise social impact through an integrated, collaborative approach.

This was being done as part of India2022 Coalition that is spearheaded Norway-based Xynteo. The tool will classify villages into four categories based on stages of development – underserved, nascent, advancing and rurban (rural+urban) based on key development indicators.

The framework reduces the lab-to-market journey for start-ups and helps them identify partnerships that will