Mumbai: 20 resource-challenged aspiring adolescent entrepreneurs were awarded financial support worth Rs. 8 lakhs at the third edition of Dolphin Tanki. This initiative by the Salaam Bombay Foundation empowers underprivileged teenage entrepreneurs to drive positive change and innovation in their community.
On the grounds of the famous business reality television series Shark Tank, Salaam Bombay Foundation has been organising Dolphin Tanki to offer market linkages and capital access to resource-challenged aspiring grassroots adolescent entrepreneurs. This initiative is held under the non-government organisation’s Education Incubator in partnership with the School of Business Management, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies.
Dolphin Tanki 3.0 - Sagar receiving the winning amount at Dolphin Tanki 2024 |
The third edition of Dolphin Tanki was organised for 28 underprivileged entrepreneurs from Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata, involved in event management, dance choreography, dubbing, mobile repairing and makeup businesses. Among the 28 entrepreneurs, who presented their innovative business pitches, 12 outstanding ventures were awarded financial support of up to INR 50,000 each. Additionally, 8 entrepreneurs were granted support of INR 25,000 each, celebrating their unwavering determination and grit that impressed the jury.
Gaurav Arora, vice president of Salaam Bombay Foundation, said, “Education Incubator and subsequently Dolphin Tanki has taught us that it is imperative to cultivate an entrepreneurial ecosystem amongst resource-challenged adolescents that transforms them into job creators. These adolescents are no longer job seekers and instead metamorphosize into self-reliant, financially independent risk takers willing to establish scalable businesses and even provide employment within their communities.”
Dolphin Tanki 3.0 - Jue receiving the winning amount at Dolphin Tanki 2024 |
Dr. Meena Galliara, Director of Jasani Center for Social Entrepreneurship & Sustainability Management, SBM, NMIMS, said, “Dolphin Tanki is a platform that empowers entrepreneurial adolescents from the most challenging backgrounds. With a great idea, passion, and the right guidance from NMIMS, We Care interns and judges, these young entrepreneurs have potential to turn their dreams into reality and become the future leaders of our economy.”
These programmes by Salaam Bombay Foundation have been recognised as a youth centric solution by ‘Yuwaah India’ at UNICEF and 10 to 19 Dasra Adolescents Collaborative as part of their ‘Joint Call For Solutions’ initiative. Till date, over 150 adolescent entrepreneurs have been nurtured via the Entrepreneurship Incubator since its launch in July 2021.
