Pune, November 22, 2025
On the occasion of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), celebrated across more than 200 countries, India marked a transformative moment with the launch of the YouthAid Entrepreneurs’ Federation of India (YEFI)—a pioneering national platform dedicated exclusively to empowering grassroots entrepreneurs. The launch event, hosted in Pune, showcased the urgent need to bring visibility, dignity, and institutional support to millions of micro-entrepreneurs who fuel India’s informal economy.
GEW’s 2025 theme—“Together We Build”—could not be more fitting. While start-ups and unicorns dominate national headlines, micro-entrepreneurs across India continue to work in isolation, with limited access to markets, credit, technology, or mentorship. YEFI aims to change this narrative by democratising entrepreneurship and giving grassroots business owners a collective voice at the national level.
Announcing the launch, Mathew Mattam, Chairperson of YEFI, said:
“YEFI becomes a bridge—connecting grassroots entrepreneurs with government schemes, banks, CSR partners, digital platforms, and investors. It promotes standardisation, quality, branding, and ethics, helping micro-businesses scale sustainably. And it seeds the next generation of entrepreneurs who will shape India’s future. In today’s changing India, such a federation is not optional—it is necessary for last-mile inclusion, dignity, and economic justice.”
YEFI’s vision is to build India’s largest grassroots business federation where micro-entrepreneurs can learn, collaborate, build credit histories, access markets, strengthen business skills, and gain national recognition.
The launch received strong international endorsement. Matt Smith, Vice President, Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN UK), praised YEFI’s timely creation and said: “India stands at the crossroads of immense economic growth and equally immense untapped potential. Ecosystem building is the vital infrastructure that empowers entrepreneurs. Initiatives like YEFI bring grassroots entrepreneurs together, building a truly inclusive ecosystem. Entrepreneurship must involve people from all walks of life. We support efforts that unlock human potential and strengthen global connections.”
From the United States, Priya Kothari, Board of Director of YouthAid Foundation & Executive Director of WUST Foundation, Virginia, emphasized that YEFI will help India’s micro-entrepreneurs scale effectively on the global stage.
She continued “By providing mentorship, digital and financial literacy, and business resources, YEFI can unlock the potential of micro-entrepreneurs—transforming local livelihoods into globally competitive business models.”
Across India, more than 6 crore micro-entrepreneurs operate in rural villages, urban slums, tribal settlements, and small towns. They include women-led enterprises, LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs, youth, artisans, farmers, and local service providers. Their contribution is immense, yet they remain largely invisible in mainstream business discourse.
Pravin Jadhav, Executive Director, CYDA India, highlighted this: “While nationally, women constitute less than 20% of micro-entrepreneurs, YEFI begins its journey with more than 70% women members. That itself is a remarkable statement of equity and inclusion.”
Grassroots entrepreneurs also shared their journeys. Shital Baile, Founder of Shital Enterprise, said: “When a woman begins something new, support is rare. But once she succeeds, everyone stands behind her. YEFI will help many women like me grow with confidence.”
From tailoring to beauty, wellness, and agarbatti production, Shital now earns more than ₹10 lakhs annually—an example of how small businesses can scale with the right support.
Entrepreneur and YEFI national office bearer Vickey Kalbande, Founder of VK Control Systems (Sleek Bill), reflected on his growth: “Six years ago, I attended the YESummit as a young entrepreneur. Today our IT firm employs 25 people and serves 30,000 clients in 30 countries. That is the power of networking. YEFI will help every entrepreneur grow, not just the Federation.”
YEFI has established strict, credibility-focused membership norms to ensure that only genuine and growth-ready entrepreneurs join the federation. To qualify, businesses must have a minimum of two years of continuous operations, maintain audited financial accounts with a valid ITR, demonstrate an annual turnover of at least ₹5 lakhs, and uphold strong ethical and sustainable business practices. Therefore, YEFI is an emerging business accelerator and ecosystem-building federation created and led by India’s grassroots entrepreneurs.
At the launch, YEFI honoured its first cohort of entrepreneurs by awarding Diamond Memberships to YouthAid Global Services Pvt Ltd, Sarthak Enterprises, VK Control Systems Pvt Ltd, and AgroZee Organics Pvt Ltd (Millets Now), while Silver Memberships were conferred upon Shital Enterprise and Srujan Agrotech Producer Company, marking the beginning of a strong and credible federation of grassroots businesses.
Together, these six enterprises represent ₹22 crore in audited turnover, employ 105 people, and demonstrate the diversity of India’s grassroots innovators.
YEFI aims to expand its membership across states by offering tailored membership tiers for enterprises achieving annual turnovers above ₹5 lakhs, including structured categories at ₹10 lakhs, ₹20 lakhs, ₹40 lakhs, ₹99 lakhs, and above ₹1 crore, aligned to Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond memberships respectively, ensuring a progressive and inclusive pathway for entrepreneurs at every stage of growth.
Programs & Support Ecosystem
YEFI members will gain access to a comprehensive support ecosystem that includes certification and national recognition, capacity-building workshops, seed capital linkages, digital and financial literacy training, mentorship from senior entrepreneurs, branding and marketing support, policy representation at state and national levels, a dedicated e-commerce platform for YEFI entrepreneurs, and Export–Import assistance for global market access.
Programs such as YESummit, YES Talks, YES Nidhi, and growth-stage accelerator cohorts will form the backbone of YEFI’s support ecosystem, providing entrepreneurs with learning, networking, funding, and scaling opportunities. These initiatives are designed to nurture micro-businesses at every stage, enabling them to grow sustainably and confidently within a supportive national framework.
Building India’s Next Entrepreneurial Wave
Prof. Ujjwal Kumar Chowdhury, noted academic and YEFI Board Member, summarised the movement: “Entrepreneurship must move out of boardrooms and begin in streets, bastis, and villages. YEFI represents that shift.” He continued, YEFI is fully owned and managed by entrepreneurs themselves through a democratic governance structure comprising a National Advisory Board, State-level Committees, District Convenors, and Thematic Working Groups, ensuring transparency, accountability, and grassroots-led decision-making. With strong early momentum, YEFI has set bold targets—500 members in 2026 and 1,000 members by 2027 and 10,000 members by 2030.
The launch of YEFI marks a new era—one where India’s economic future is shaped not only by high-tech start-ups but also by grassroots entrepreneurs from every corner of the country. It is a commitment to ensure that a young woman in a basti, a farmer’s son in a remote village, or a first-generation urban youth has the same dignity, platform, and opportunity to build and scale an enterprise.
A New Beginning for Grassroots India
With YEFI’s launch during Global Entrepreneurship Week, India sends a powerful message to the world: the next big revolution in entrepreneurship will rise from the grassroots.
