Upaya has accepted an invitation to join the Intellecap Impact Investment Network (I3N), India’s first angel network dedicated to start-up socially beneficial enterprises. I3N draws on the full spectrum of Intellecap initiatives - including the popular Sankalp Forum - to facilitate investments in early-stage enterprises that pair financial returns with clear social and/or environmental impact.

"We are honored to have been invited to join this distinguished group of angel investors, and see a great opportunity to expand our own due diligence capacity through the Intellecap network,” said Sriram Gutta, Upaya's Director of Business Development. Gutta will serve as Upaya’s representative to the I3N.

While the network supports start-up enterprises across sectors including healthcare, education, clean energy, financial inclusion and agri/rural businesses, Upaya is the first I3N member with an explicit focus on job creation for the ultra poor.

“Business growth and job creation require a full ecosystem of support for entrepreneurs throughout all phases of their development, and it is our hope that Upaya’s membership in I3N will help foster that ecosystem,” Gutta said.

Intellecap launched I3N in September 2011, and currently counts more than 20 high net-worth individuals and institutions among its membership.

For more on I3N, click here.