Smart Village Movement is a collaborative process facilitated by SVM organization with Berkeley-Haas Center of Growth Markets to create a Smart Village ecosystem. We partner with Government, Academia, Corporations and Rural Communities to foster independence and sustainable rural development in Indian villages and other emerging markets.
Our long-term vision for rural areas is to enable them to make the most of their potential and support them in their own unique set of issues, from environmental change to connectivity, the risk of poverty, and limited access to services through access to digitization.
The Smart Village Movement was birthed and founded at UC Berkeley-HAAS Garwood Center for Growth Markets by Solomon Darwin following the 2016 Innovation Round Table discussion hosted by the Former President Shri Pranab Mukherji in New Delhi, India. It was this forum that proposed the idea of the Smart Village Movement through an open-innovation approach to empower the subcontinent and connect India’s rural population with the Industry’s 4.0 ecosystem to enhance their participation and well-being.
Today, Berkeley HAAS is our primary research partner and provides us with corporate resources, access to new technologies along with mentorship and guidance on all field projects.
SVM works closely with rural communities and understand their pain points and priorities and uses the Triple Helix Model of Co-Innovation with Goverment, Academia and Corporates to create workable & sustainable solutions. Read More about the SVM Model here and how SVM is different from other NGOs here.
SVM works in 8 Verticals: Agriculture, Education, Healthcare, Connectivity, Energy, Livelihood, Water and Sanitation.
Our focus on Open-innovation, indigenous technologies and natural economic forces builds a well-developed SVM ecosystem that empowers rural communities to provide for themselves through entrepreneurship, job skills and access to global markets.
Verticals and their association with SDGs are:
Agriculture – Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Education – Goal 4: Quality Education
Healthcare – Goal 3: Good health and well-being
Connectivity – Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Energy – Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Livelihood – Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Water – Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Sanitation – Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
For Companies
Companies can sign up via the SVM Platform and initiate a conversation with our team to explore plausible collaborations.
For NGOs
SVM is delighted to partner with other grassroots organizations and NGOs that have expertise in our specific verticals and we welcome collaboration where possible. Please connect with us by writing directly to our Senior Manager India rohi@smartvillagemovement.org
For Universities/Colleges
Students and Research Universities can sign up at our Platform to gain access to challenges in rural areas and current data and approved projects. SVM mentors are happy to assist you with any feedback and suggestions.
We at SVM act as a gateway for companies to function in rural India. Our team, trained at UC Berkeley, works with companies to design business models and pilots using the Lean Launchpad method, helping the companies launch operations and scale in rural communities. Our partnerships with various governmental departments enables us to bridge the understanding with current policies, programs, and systems, and leverage practical solutions.
Information about our past projects is available on our platform. You can sign up on our platform here
- Participate: Corporate Entities can sign up on our platform and participate in submitting solution and business proposals. Our team will get back to you within 2 days.
- Co-Innovate: Students and Research Universities can sign up at our Platform to gain access to challenges in rural areas and current data and approved projects. SVM mentors are happy to assist you with any feedback and suggestions.
- Volunteer your time and skills by writing to us directly at admin@smartvillagemovement.org
Donate to our rural empowerment projects here. SVM is a non-for-profit society with 80(G) certification and also registered as 501(c)(3) non-for-profit organization. The tax deductible contributions go directly to fund rural development and empowerment of village livelihoods in pilot areas.
Yes, Smart Village Movement is registered under 501(c)(3) along with section 80(G) certification. The Society is registered in India under Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001.
Yes, SVM carefully selects projects that need additional funding not covered by Government or Corporate Support. Please contact us directly in India or the US to advise the intended project.
If you wish to volunteer for SVM please write to volunteer@smartvillagemovement.org
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