Upaya Social Ventures and Seattle University are happy to announce the launch of an “Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Program” for 2018.

The EIR is a joint initiative intended to strengthen ties between India-based entrepreneurs, and Seattle-based students, faculty, and the larger business community as part of the Seattle University Office of Global Engagement’s India Initiative.

The inaugural EIR welcomes entrepreneur Mansi Agarwal – Founder and CEO of UpSkill Management Services – to Seattle for a week full of events and educational seminars in late February. Agarwal will serve as the keynote speaker at Upaya’s February 24th Gala at the Bellevue Hilton, where she will talk about her Mumbai-based social enterprise, the jobs she is creating for India’s poor, the challenges she has faced, and her vision for the future. She will then spend a few days on the Seattle University campus, working closely with students and faculty to brainstorm solutions to the pressing business issues facing UpSkill as it scales. Agarwal will also have an opportunity to present on corporate campuses to raise awareness of UpSkill’s work and explore the potential for future collaboration.

Agarwal’s technology company, UpSkill, provides vocational training to underprivileged youth in India and ensures placement in secure, dignified jobs. The UpSkill team has trained and placed over 1,800 youth to date using technological interventions and plans to support an additional 1,000 youth in the coming year. Agarwal was a member of Upaya’s first accelerator cohort in 2017 and her business was recently selected for investment by Upaya.

The “Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Program” was designed to expose the selected entrepreneur to SU faculty and students, Seattle-based businesses that align with the entrepreneur’s sectoral focus, and members of the community who could serve as mentors. In exchange, the entrepreneur will facilitate for the Seattle audience a much deeper understanding of the issues faced by marginalized communities and learnings around what approaches are most effective.

The EIR’s ultimate goal is to forge long-lasting, cross-cultural connections and partnerships that result in measurable positive change. This collaboration between Upaya and Seattle University is part of the University’s ongoing India Initiative, a strategic engagement with scholars and universities in India.

Mansi Agarwal’s Seattle Itinerary

Thursday, Feb 22: Arrival in Seattle
Saturday, Feb 24, 6:00pm-10:00pm: Agarwal speaks at Upaya’s annual Gala
Monday, Feb 26, 10:30am-1:30pm: Agarwal speaks at the Bainbridge Island Rotary meeting
Wednesday, Feb 28, 3:45pm-5:45pm: Agarwal speaks at Seattle University
Thursday Mar 1, 6:30pm-8:30pm: Agarwal speaks at Seattle University
Friday, Mar 2: Departure from Seattle